


Inertia Overcome

by avari20



Series: Inertia Overcome [1]
Category: Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Complete, F/M, Kind of dark, Leaving Mystic Falls, Light Angst, Obsessive Behavior, Possessive Behavior, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-21
Updated: 2014-03-02
Packaged: 2017-12-09 03:36:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 97,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/769522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avari20/pseuds/avari20
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caroline made a bold move the night she fled Mystic Falls. She escaped from under Klaus' watchful eye and managed to disappear for two years. But while she was building a new life for herself, Klaus was searching, and when he found her, he was determined to collar his girl once and for all. </p><p>Except this might be Klaus' game, but they are going to play it by Caroline's rules. </p><p>AU after Tyler left Mystic Falls, no Hayley (EVER), One shot turned multi-chapter. Nominated for 2014 Klaroline Awards for Most Unique, Best Completed, and Best Klaus!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Shadow_Belle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadow_Belle/gifts).



> This work originally began as a one-shot and a gift to my dear friend Shadow_Belle. Since then I've been inspired by her encouragement and the Klaroline dynamic to keep the story going. Hang in there, remember to review if you like it, and above all enjoy!
> 
> This first chapter is set in the present tense because I wanted to document Caroline's experiences as they occurred to her. Later chapters will change points of view as well as tenses depending on how I feel the narrative would be best presented. From Chapter 5 on, things should stay in past. 
> 
> /English teacher explanation
> 
> Update: Inertia Overcome has been nominated for Best Completed Fanfiction and Most Unique fanfiction on tumblr! If you have a tumblr, be sure to head over to the Klaroline Awards page to vote. I've also been nominated for Best Klaus, so keep that in mind! Thanks and lots of love!

Could vampires outrun trains?

I've seen some pretty amazing things in my life—the undead half of it, anyway. The first part was relatively normal. The kind of beautiful that you can't or don't appreciate until the moment passes. There were some instances that stuck with me, things like stars on the night of a blackout, or the way water ripples in a stream when you stick your foot in it. Sometimes it's hard to remember ordinary beauty like that matters in comparison to hybrids and werewolves and witches and Originals.  


Oddly enough, it's the ordinary that landed me on this train. 

Tyler is gone. He's been gone for months. A lot of long wretched days. At first I tried desperately to think of a way to get around it. Scheme after scheme after half-baked idea came up and then landed in the trash pile. I think it was denial. Actually, I'm almost certain it was. Trying to save my boyfriend from an Original's hit list was like trying to get out of the mob and then going on a television show about it. My days of tricking and distracting were done; not only was my target wise to it, but I just didn't have that kind of heart anymore. Some things wear you down.

I refused to sink into depression, though, even when I felt my fingers slip on the ledge that was calm. I decided to point my middle finger at the supernatural drama for a day and went to do the most ordinary thing I could think of. 

I went to the movies. 

I can't remember the title of the movie—I'm pretty bad like that—but it was about a girl in the 50s. At one point in the movie, she bought a ticket at the station and hopped on a train on a whim. I thought, “That's pretty gutsy. Wish there were more trains these days. Wonder if vampires can outrun trains?” 

I can't say how the idea blossomed from a stray thought. Maybe it was watered by desperation. Maybe I was just tired of living the same life in the same endless cycle of futility. But the idea wouldn't go away. 

Can vampires outrun trains? 

More to the point—can Originals?

I sat in the dark theater, staring at the filmed scenery rolling by in the window's reflection, totally gripped by the possibilities. Part of me was scared. This was pushing it. This was the final straw on the camel's back. Yet...he always had me on his radar because I stayed where he could see me. What if I didn't? What if I just...left? 

It was a dangerous idea. I'd be starting over. Somehow that seemed crazier than tempting an Original with a deadly bite. I had to ask myself if that wouldn't just send him looking harder for Tyler. Then it occurred to me that he was already looking. Why not distract him? Why not run and divide his attention?

Would he come after me? 

I didn't have an answer. Faced with the choice of taking a chance and succeeding or sitting still and spinning my wheels, though, I knew what I had to do. Running meant running for a long, long time, but better to keep busy running than stagnating. 

Like Yoda said—Do or do not. There is no try. 

Funny. That's the only thing I remember from all of Tyler's secret stash of nerdy posters. 

Turns out there are plenty of train stations in Virginia. Just not near me. I outlined the plan to my mom piece by piece, mostly scribbled on scraps of notes that I burned on scented candles. God, I'll miss her. She got me as much money as she could in cash. We didn't know if he was watching or not. So I started making some out of town trips overnight. Then one night I met up with a contact in another city and he drove me to a train station two more cities over. 

Here I am, sitting on my very first train with a ticket stamped for the farthest destination. Dawn is creeping up in the sky. The black bleeding into pink is like the biggest timer on earth for me right now. There are about five million transfers to be made and a mind-numbing lot of hours between here and my “stop”. I don't know if I'm going to the final mark on the map. More than likely I'll get off someplace else. Somewhere nice. I'll get a job. I don't think my experience as Miss Mystic Falls or chair of the one hundred and one committees I led will help. I've got a new name now. Terra Yates. I'll have to practice introducing myself; my blood freezes a little when I think about it sometimes.  


Seriously, though? My blood's been running cold since I thought of this. It's crazy. It's nuts. It's new. I'll be nobody. I'm taking a chance on the level of a reconstructed Titanic voyage. 

And you know what? I feel alive. For the first time in a long time, I feel like the wheels have finally gained traction. 

The train hums to life. Oh god. It's really happening. I'm really doing this. 

I shift in my seat. It's one of those two-seaters tucked behind the window just enough for me to hide my face or see out, depending on the angle. I'm torn between pressing my face to the glass to search for Klaus and leaning as far back as I can. 

My fingers tangle in my lap. _Cool it, Caroline. You might draw attention to yourself. Just stay calm. This is all going according to plan._

Two minutes to departure. 

“Excuse me, is this seat free?”

My heart leaps into my throat and I jump, turning with a gasp. Like a ninny, because I scare the bejesus out of the poor guy who was just trying to be polite. “Oh god, I'm so sorry!” I laugh, feeling totally stupid and relieved. 

A commuter, judging by his clothes. He's got a nice jacket on and he ironed his jeans. Sure, he has a backpack, but it's the expensive kind and nobody pairs those with anything other than the loafers he's wearing. He's tall, thin, and has the whole older gentleman thing going on. Oh, damn, he cut himself shaving. Nicked himself right next to the sideburn. Thank god I've already eaten. I even have a thermos full of blood to tide me over for a while.

Moms. They do that kind of thing for you. 

God, I miss her already. 

He smiles back at me and I move my coat out of the seat. The train is filling up fast, and the man settles in as quickly as he can. 

I get comfortable again and sigh, pretending that my eyes didn't mist at the thought of my mom. I'm being paranoid. With good reason, yes, but nothing said _Hey, I'm on the lam!_ like jumping out of my skin at every little sound. I rest my head against the cool plastic of the train, checking my watch again. 5:45 am. Go time.

As soon as I realize that the train starts to pull forward. I expected it to lurch, but there's a high-pitched whine of modern mechanics at work and then we smoothly transition from stillness to motion. I let out another shaky sigh. I'm going. I'm moving. Inertia overcome. 

Not sure what I'm feeling, I glance up—and there he is. Standing on the platform, looking straight at me. 

I flow past him like water alongside a rock in what feels like a slow motion frame of a movie. Him looking at me, me staring at him. My mouth open. Stunned. His mouth pressed together, a knowing smirk curling his lips. Challenging.

I know that look.

Game on.

Can vampires outrun trains? I wonder again as time speeds up and the train zooms past. 

I guess the real question is—Can a vampire outrun an Original?


	2. Chapter 2

It took him more than two years to find me. I blame myself. I got comfortable. I guess that one big step was so much for me that I wanted to find my way around the new ocean of humanity. First I had to get away. Then I had to choose where to finally step off of the train. 

I held on for ages. Getting on the train was wild enough, but getting off again seemed like...I don't know, like I was making it real or something. 

There's only so long you can lie to yourself. Eventually I gathered up my fraying courage, told my thumping heart to be quiet, and I lurched out of my seat to practically dive out of the train door. I waited so long that transferring passengers had already left and new passengers were piling in. I went against the flow of humanity—literally--to get myself into Charllotesville. I don't remember what the station looked like. I just followed the signs to the next platform and got on another train. 

The next place I stopped at was Charleston. I stayed there overnight after managing to score a moderately priced hotel room. I compelled the hotel people. As far as they knew, the room sat empty all night and no one wanted it. 

I couldn't relax. I was tired. Exhausted, really. Hours tend to blur after a while. Trains are not fast. Well, they're fast, but they aren't planes. They won't get you where you want to go in a hurry. I just couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't far enough. I was too close to Virginia. After a nap—plagued by nightmares—I knew I had to keep going. 

I had a small suitcase with me. I mean that literally. It was small. It was just meant to carry a few changes of clothes to get me started. I looked up Youtube videos on the best way to pack just to squeeze as much in as I could, but most of my life was left behind when I got on that first train. It was better that way. New beginnings. But I was going to miss a few things. 

I bought a new ticket and I just kept going. For a while there my life consisted of nothing but trains. There were upsides and downsides. Sitting for a long time is not fun. You feel cramped and not everybody is nice. There's also not a whole lot to do but sleep and stare out the window. I contemplated life, Tyler, what I was doing, my regrets from as far back as sixth grade. Trains are a way of zening out that I never experienced before. I went through a lot of emotions. I won't lie—I cried a little. Okay, a lot. Sue me. 

That's when the upsides started. I had all this time to myself and I couldn't let all that thinking go to waste. I bought a book. When I finished that, I realized spending all my money on books wasn't an option. So I bought a notebook and a couple of pens. Lo and behold, a travel journal. 

I left my fancy phone behind. I planned to get the cheapest prepaid cell I could find when I settled. That meant I had a travel journal but no pictures because, duh, no camera. That didn't seem right. So I started tucking in cool pieces of paper from stations I visited. It was free, so why not? Then I splurged on an old school disposable camera. One hour at the local pharmacy for development was practically pennies, and suddenly I had all this gluing, pasting, and designing to do. 

Turns out my perfectionist tendencies carry over into journaling. That scrapbook/journal/thing was a work of _art._

Maybe in the back of my mind I hoped my mom would one day be able to see it. 

After a few days I started staying in cities. Checking them out. Seeing the sites. Hostels are cheaper than hotels. Most are really clean, and frankly, backpackers have nothing better to do than make friends along the way. I hooked up with this crazy group of Canadian girls. They knew how to live on a shoestring budget. I tagged along with them. I even traded for a digital camera and added to my collection of pens, bringing in colors. The girls loved my journal. One gave me $10 (a lot of money to a backpacker) to organize her photos like that. I parlayed that into a skill for couchsurfing gifts. Eventually I parted ways from the girls, but we still kept in touch and people started getting word that I was good at what I did. 

Who knew people couldn't organize their own souvenirs and momentos? 

One of the couchsurfing hosts I stayed with needed a roommate. I had enough money for half the rent. I got a job as a waitress for the cash and did (what I called) Backpacker Memories on the side. 

Waitressing is hard. No matter how much of a perfectionist you are, someone's always going to find fault with it. 

Luckily my reputation was spreading and soon I needed to spend all my time on Backpacker Memories. It ended up pretty lucrative. After a little over a year I was in a place where I could work (mostly) from home. The fact that I had a home was amazing. I had friends, a new life, everything I could want. 

Sometimes.

Sometimes it just wasn't the same. 

I had my depression days. The crazy times of vampires and werewolves and supernatural beings coming out of the woodwork was exciting stuff. It must have turned me into an adrenaline junkie. Settling down was almost anticlimactic after all that. I did meet a few vampires now and then. Werewolves too. I had to do some fancy talking to get out of _those_ encounters. The vampires were cool. They just tended to keep to themselves. The werewolves would have been cool too, but it was just too dangerous to hang with them. They didn't have Tyler's feelings for me to circumvent instinct. 

And damn, I missed my mother. 

But I adjusted. I put down roots.

That was my mistake. 

Because Klaus found me. And when he did, things went kind of...crazy.


	3. Chapter 3

She was in the frozen cake aisle. 

She wasn't even aware a person could freeze a cake until she started living on her own. She'd always been a bit of a food snob with things like cake; but it was Saturday afternoon, it was raining, her roommate was on a trip out of town.

And it was her birthday. 

Her real birthday, not the fake birthday that was on her equally fake birth certificate and her even faker driver's license. _That_ one she'd celebrated three months ago. 

Nope. Today was the real deal, even if she had no one but herself to prove it to. 

New York cheesecake sounded pretty good. Oh, even better, double chocolate mousse. 

Cheesecake.

Mousse.

Decisions like this required careful thought and consideration. 

Or she could buy both. 

Now there was a tempting notion--

“Perhaps you might consider a freshly baked reward rather than that rubbish.” 

_No._ She froze to the spot, the chill of the freezers nothing compared to the one running down her spine. It couldn't be. It just couldn't.

But of course it was. She should have known. 

A thousand and one things that she could have done different raced through her head, followed closely by questions. How? When? Where? Who did he kill to find out?

Her head turned on its own. She didn't seem to have control over her own body anymore. 

She stared into his triumphant, taunting blue eyes. 

He met her gaze without smiling. “Happy Birthday, Caroline.” 

She sucked in a breath. Her heart was stuttering back to life, hammering at her ribs as true fear kindled inside. 

Klaus casually reached out and trailed a finger down her hoodie sleeve. “Twenty years old,” he commented slowly. “Practically ancient.” 

She should be running. Why weren't her sneakers peeling themselves off of the floor? She was a vampire, for god's sake. Nobody would see a thing. They'd just feel a rush of wind. 

And he'd be faster than that wind. Because this was Klaus, the fastest, deadliest man on the planet. 

Who was royally pissed off. 

“Don't,” he warned in a low voice, as if he'd heard her out-of-control thoughts. “You won't get far enough fast enough. And I find my patience is wearing thin.” He leaned against the frosted freezer glass and gave her a once-over that was anything but nonchalant. “You look good, love.” 

It was probably the most casual he'd ever seen her dressed. Patched jeans and a green university hoodie. Why was that the only thought repeating itself in her head suddenly?   
Stupid, so stupid. She had to get it together. Her chin lifted. 

“What do you say you and I go somewhere and catch up?” His gaze burned her. “Your apartment perhaps?” 

“Why would I do that?” she retorted. She was ridiculously proud of herself for sounding like she had half a backbone. Klaus' appearance had thrown her for a loop. For a second there she'd wondered if she'd lost some of her nerve over the years. 

That didn't mean she wanted to push it. She just didn't want to be pushed around.

He tilted his head. “Caroline. Love. How do you think this is going to end?”

Her chin lifted higher. “Probably not in my favor. That doesn't mean I'll just roll over and play dead.” Although _play_ and _dead_ were two words that never went together with this man. 

“I do enjoy these little tiffs of ours,” he drawled with a lazy smile. “I push. You push back. It's very arousing. Like rough sex with words.” 

A streak of white-hot anger coursed through her. “Tiff?” she repeated, squaring off with him. Hell, she practically got in his face. “I've spent the last two years being someone   
I'm not, leaving everything I've ever known behind just to get away from you. And you're calling it a _tiff_?” 

Her voice ended on a high note. 

Some really small rational part of her raised its eyebrows at her chutzpuh. Nerve was one thing. Steel balls were another. The last time she did this he bit her. 

Caroline scowled harder. Whatever. She hadn't come this far to have all her accomplishments marked down as something as trivial as a freakin'...what? Temper tantrum? 

She'd taken him by surprise, but a millisecond later he was in her face. They were so close they were breathing the same air. “I call it foreplay. I call it the longest game of chase a man and woman have ever played. I call it your foolish notion of escaping something inevitable. I call it your attempt to punish me for showing Tyler mercy.”

“You call giving him a head start mercy. I call it Hammurabi's code taken to a whole new psychotic level.” 

He sucked in a deep, steadying breath. “Caroline. Do you know what arguing with you does to me?” His arm snaked around her waist. He yanked her flush into his body. She dropped the shopping basket in alarm, slamming her hands into his chest and pushing as hard as she could. 

No! He was not going to bite her again!

Then she felt it—his hard on. Her eyes went wide. 

Klaus cocked his brows expectantly.

This was just surreal. Feelings were one thing, but this, this was just—oh, god, was she blushing? Oh damn, she was _blushing_. Beet red. 

He gave her his patented cat with the cream smile. 

“Let go,” she whispered. Her voice shook. Her gaze darted around, looking anywhere but at him. “You're attracting attention.”

He glanced over his shoulder. “So we are. How about it, love? Let's take this somewhere private.” 

The last thing she wanted to do was go anywhere private with him. Did she have a choice though? He was going to make a scene and she'd spent so much time under radar she desperately wanted to stay anonymous. 

“Okay,” she said at last. “You let me go, and we'll walk out of here like normal people. But no more touching me, go it?”

He'd never been handsy with her before. Careful, stroking touches. Little pets of her hair. That one kiss when she didn't realize it was him. She had a bad feeling about this kind of turnaround in his attitude. 

He was upping the ante. 

Blue eyes swept over her face. He made no move to let go. 

She tensed up even more.

“Alright,” he said at last. His grip loosened, but he didn't so much as let go as release her. Slow, sliding removal of his strength by degrees. She was on to his game. He wanted her to know it was his choice, not hers. 

But the touching thing wasn't done yet. He offered her his arm like a gentleman in a movie, holding it out with a hint of a dare. Caroline swallowed as she slid her hand into the crook. He held it close to his body. He had a surprising amount of body heat for a thousand year old guy. 

The frozen food section was close to the registers and the exit, but it had to be the longest walk Caroline had taken in a while. People were looking. Of course they were; Klaus was twisted and a little deranged, yes, but that didn't mean he was ugly. The opposite. A man like him came with the face of an angel. 

Okay. Maybe not an angel. She was darned if she could come up with a better description for it though. Maybe a model. Even when he was just wearing a plain button up shirt   
with long sleeves and ironed jeans. 

She ducked her head, trying to think of a way out of this. “How did you find me?”

He strolled along as though they were walking through a park, his gait lithe and graceful. “It wasn't easy, truth be told. A bit like a jigsaw puzzle. Eventually the clues emerged.” He slid a glance her way. “If you want to stay lost, love, you should cut all ties to the past.”

Said the guy who dragged one brother around for, what, seven hundred years or something? “Are you going to give me a straight answer?” 

“The letters, love. You were very good about leaving out damning details and return addresses, but one of your helpful little friends thoughtfully delivered the last in person.” 

Dammit. She'd been so careful. She'd given the letters to backpackers to send wherever they went so the postmarks wouldn't match. She hadn't counted on someone trying to do the decent thing and _handing_ one to her mom. “How did you get your hands on it?” she demanded. 

The look he gave her was pure patronization. 

She exhaled. “Did anyone die?”

“Now that would have been unnecessary, wouldn't you say?” 

They passed through the automatic doors. She nearly tripped over herself when Klaus nodded at the elderly greeter and gave him a smile, big as you please. 

The rain was coming down hard. Klaus eyeballed the storm curiously. “How did you get here, Caroline?”

“I took the bus.” She didn't have the money for a car. In the city it didn't make much sense either. That was another thing totally different from Mystic Falls; public transportation. She didn't know how she'd lived without it. 

“Luckily I can provide more acceptable means of travel.” All it took was a wave of his hand, and a big black SUV pulled out of a parking spot. Seconds later the door opened and out stepped what could only be a hybrid.

This was one of those crucial moments in a movie where Caroline usually ended up yelling at the screen. What kind of dummy got into a black SUV filled with strange men and a supernatural all-powerful being? 

She had new respect for those poor put upon heroines now. She understood how little choice there could be. 

So she climbed in, ignoring Klaus' helping hand. She was a big girl. If she was going to ride to her doom, she was going to do it under her own power. Of course, thinking that   
in her head and actually doing it were two different things. She huddled against the opposite side while Klaus slid in after her and closed the door with a decisive, ominous thud. 

The two men sitting in the front seats didn't even ask for her address. They just drove. She wasn't even sure if they _were_ going to her apartment. For all she knew they were going back to Mystic Falls. 

What was she going to do? Just go back? She'd worked really hard to make a place for herself here. She wanted to see her mom, and Elena, and Bonnie, but that meant going back to a life that didn't fit her anymore. 

She fidgeted, waiting for Klaus to say something. 

He looked over. She met his gaze. 

“Buckle up, love.” 

She blinked. “That's it? That's all you're going to say?” 

He turned in his seat, the material creaking beneath him. Caroline tensed. He had her where he wanted her. She'd fight if she had to, but really, she wasn't all the confident of her skills in a tight space like this. 

Suddenly he leaned forward. She couldn't help it; she flinched. He paused, arm outstretched, clocking every reaction. She couldn't read his expression. She hated that. She wanted to know exactly what he was feeling, the same way he seemed to know about her. 

He came closer. She refused to back away, heartbeat accelerating. 

His arm curved around her body and snagged the seat belt. He pulled it out as far as it would go. Did he deliberately brush her breast? She couldn't tell, sucking in a breath. He was so near he was back to sharing her air. His gaze trailed down to her mouth. “Safety first,” he rasped. 

The seat belt clicked into the lock. There was something final about that. 

Then he sat back and looked out of his window. 

Was he freakin' kidding her?

Caroline glanced around, trying to figure out what the setup was. Klaus had been looking for her for two years, and she hadn't made it easy on him. Where was the rage? The bender? The punishment? Why did he just wish her a happy birthday and then drive her home? 

Maybe this was just the beginning. Maybe things would really get bad whenever they got to wherever they were going. Judging by the scenery she could see through the sheets of rain, they were headed back to her apartment after all. She didn't even want to know how he knew about it. 

She was starting to feel cornered. Trapped like a blonde ex-cheerleader beauty queen rat. “Is this the grand plan?” she burst out. “Kill me with anticipation?”

He was utterly surprised. “Is is anticipation, Caroline? How interesting.” 

Okay. It was a poor choice of words. People sounded a lot cooler in the movies. 

This was ridiculous. She didn't have to take crap from anybody, least of all Klaus. Yeah, he was the most dangerous person she knew. Yeah, she didn't have a prayer of getting out of this in one piece if he didn't want her too. She was still Caroline Forbes, twenty years old, self-made entrepreneur. Not some meek wallflower. 

The car jerked. A horn blared.

Klaus flung his arm across her body.

The hybrid driver, the one who looked like a Russian mobster, swore viciously and flipped the other car off. 

Caroline looked down at Klaus' arm. “I'm fine,” she said shakily. 

“Traffic is murder here,” he remarked against the soft hum of the radio. It was, predictably, the golden oldies station. Classic seventies.

Not that she cared at the moment. She was too busy processing the amped up interpersonal touching Klaus had going on. 

Four dozen scenarios were rolling through her mind when they pulled into her complex's parking lot. Klaus gave the two hybrids a long, hard look. “Wait here. This will take awhile.”

Seriously? The way he said it was downright indecent. But she kept her lips zipped while he opened the door and slid out, waiting for her outside. 

She could jump ship. Try to lose him in the rain. Become homeless again and head for the Canadian border. 

Should have done that in the first place. Canada must be nice when it wasn't snowing. 

Klaus reached out a hand. “Time to go, Caroline.”

And what did she do? She went. 

She still didn't take his hand, though. 

Caroline lived on the fourth floor. It was an old building. It still had some of the charming originals, like a wooden staircase that creaked like crazy when someone stepped on it. The banister was handcarved and intricate. Sometimes at night Caroline liked to sit in front of it and just trace the lines. She didn't have to exactly worry about her safety   
while she did it. 

Not like now.

There wasn't an elevator, and even if there was she would have taken the stairs anyway. He followed leisurely behind, his easy footsteps totally different from her stomping climb. His eyes were firmly glued on her butt too, if the burning sensation was any indication. 

When they got to her floor she practically flashed to her apartment. She pulled out her keys and unlocked it, opening the door but staying in the hall. Hand on the doorknob, she turned to face Klaus with renewed courage. He couldn't come in if she didn't invite him. There was some measure of temporary safety at least. 

He was vastly amused. “Going to play that game, love? What happened to that anticipation you were talking about?”

“Why are you here?” she asked bluntly. 

He blinked. “Because you decided to take a little trip without me.” 

“I ran away.” She could call a spade a spade. 

His sensual lips tightened. “I'm aware of that.” 

“Why aren't you mad?”

“Who says I'm not?” he asked nonchalantly, hands folded behind his back. 

“You're not acting like it.”

“I choose to refrain for the moment, though if you continue with this line of inquiry I can't promise anything.” 

Her fingers tightened on the handle. “Why did you come after me?” 

His amusement slipped away like dark magic. “Do you really have to ask?” 

“Yes. I'm not going back.” She didn't know when she'd decided that. It just seemed important that she had. 

Klaus shrugged. “Then don't.” 

“What about your precious hybrid plans?”

“I have that well in hand. Don't worry, darling. I have all the time in the world to dedicate to you.” 

That's what she was afraid of. “I don't want you to dedicate time to me.” 

There. She'd said it.

His eyes hardened for the briefest moment. “Do you really want to do this in the hall, Caroline? The walls have ears.” He entreated her playfully. “I did promise you a birthday treat.”

She'd gotten into a car with him. That was as crazy as her day was getting, thank you very much. And she wasn't going to be “treated” to anything, especially when he said it in that seductive tone. “Look, Klaus. Let's lay all our cards on the table.”

His face darkened. “Let's not.”

“Yes. We can't keep doing this.”

“You're taking a dangerous road, love.”

“I've been on it for two years.” She chanced a step closer. “Why does it have to be like this? Why can't you just let us both go? This entire messed-up tangle is toxic. It's not good for you, or me, or--”

“Tyler,” he cut in knowingly, his expression shuttering. “Still thinking of the little Lockwood, are we?” 

Caroline faltered. “I was going to say anyone, but no, it's not good for him either. Let him come home, Klaus. Please. Let us just live our lives as normally as we can.” Her shoulders slumped. She was tired. “I miss my mom,” she confessed.

His jaw worked.“It was your choice to leave.” 

She was antagonizing him. She knew it, and she still kept talking. Maybe she was trying to save herself. Maybe she was just at the end of her rope. Either way, she needed to get it off of her chest. 

“Why do you think I did?” She bent her head, trying to catch his eye. He wouldn't look at her, staring at some point of the nondescript wall. She worried her lip, trying to think of something, anything. “I wish I knew what I could say to get through to you.” 

“Why? Because I'm so dense I can't see the situation for what it is?” He turned a hard stare on her. “I didn't realize I had given you reason to doubt my intelligence, Caroline.”

Oh, no. She started to shake her head. “Please don't be like that-”

“We need a bit of clarity, you and I. A good long discussion about the status of our relationship.” 

Great, now he was ignoring whatever she said completely. She threw up her hands. “I can't deal with this. I'm going inside. You are _not_ invited,” she told him firmly. 

Something dangerous flared in his eyes. 

She shouldn't have ignored it. Caroline was too high on emotion to take that into account, though, and she flung open her door without another word to him, flouncing inside.   
Even vampire super speed couldn't have cut her off. 

Some people, though, had really bad timing. 

Just as she turned to wish him goodnight—don't ask her why she did it—Caroline heard the telltale sounds of someone coming down the stairs. The danger didn't immediately register. She just glanced at her new neighbor and gave her a friendly smile. 

Klaus half-turned. “Oh, look, darling. A snack.” He smiled darkly, eyes already changing. “Just as I was feeling a bit peckish.” 

It happened so fast Caroline had no time to cry out. One instant the woman was descending the stairs and the next she was hauled up into Klaus' arms, his fangs buried in her neck.

Caroline raced forward. “No!” She hit him on the back once, twice. “Let her go!” 

The woman—girl--didn't know what was happening, but she was already crying in pain and struggling. Oh god, she was going to die! 

Not knowing what else to do, Caroline did the only thing she could think of and bit him. Sank her teeth right into the meat of his arm. 

He came up with a roar. He dropped the woman. 

Caroline flashed back before he could turn on her, came around, and put herself right between her neighbor and the terrifying man in front of them. The poor girl was sobbing uncontrollably, cowering. 

“Stop!” she cried out. “Just stop! Why do you keep doing this? God, what is—just what is wrong with you?” From one second to the next he'd gone from charming to rampaging beast of the night. 

His eyes glittered at her. “Get out of the way, Caroline.” 

She drew herself up and spread out her arms. “No. I won't let you hurt her anymore.” Enough was enough. She was taking her life into her own hands, but she was so damned tired of the blood and the guts and the gore. She'd thought she'd left all of this behind! And it was because of him. All him.

“It has nothing to do with you,” he half hissed. 

“B.S.! I'm sick of you always lashing out when you feel bad. If you want to hurt someone, hurt me.” He'd do it too. Was she crazy? He'd tear out her heart at the first opportunity. She must be losing it, because she found herself saying it again. “Did you hear me? Go on, do it!” 

Hysteria. It had to be. “I'm the one you really want to get at, right? So grab a stake and jab it in me. You've done it before.”

He tilted his head, watching her in that careful way someone watches an animal. His mouth, ringed with blood, thinned. “You're getting yourself all worked up, darling. It's unbecoming.”

“Who cares? I'm done. Totally done. Make your move.” 

“You want to save the pitiful human's life? Fine. Give me a reason I should.”

“Because I asked you to.”

“I'm afraid that's not good enough, love. Give me something concrete. Something I can really sink my teeth into.” He bared said teeth in a mockery of a smile. 

She racked her brain but came up short. “What do you want?” 

He tilted his head the other way. “Oh, I think we both know what I want.”

She stiffened. “You can't be serious.” He was. She could see it. “We were just talking about this!”

“A hybrid for a date. There must be something you're willing to trade for a human you're so determined to save.” 

Another date? With the man who murdered her boyfriend's mother? Who would freakin' wipe out the entire town if the mood took him? Did nothing she'd said matter? “I'm not playing your game any more.” 

He stepped closer, bringing him in dangerous proximity. “Oh? That's too bad. This might get messy.” He smiled. “In fact, I might decide to play for a while.” 

The woman behind her whimpered pitifully and started to pray. 

Caroline thought hard. She had to save her. Had to. 

Klaus took another step. 

“Wait! One date,” she said shakily. “We can go on one more date.” She couldn't believe she was doing this again. 

“Not good enough, Caroline. You see, we've done that and I'm terribly greedy. Sweeten the pot.” 

He couldn't mean-- “You want me to have sex with you?” she asked incredulously. 

“Try to be more creative, love. This isn't nighttime telly and I'm not particularly interested in growing a mustache to twirl.” 

“Then you're going to have to spell things out for me, because I haven't got a clue what the next step is.” 

His lashes lowered to her neck. “I dared you once to take a chance.”

Realization was dawning. No freakin' way.

He looked up at her with hooded eyes, a cat on the way to tasting the cream. “I think we're well past the point of dares, don't you?” 

If she thought the situation crazy before, then things had just turned into full blown insanity. “A relationship?” 

“Eventually. Think of it more as a courtship. An exclusive chance for me to win you over.”

She eyed him warily. “That can't be all there is to it.”

“So suspicious. It's very straightforward, Caroline. Give me what I want, and I will give you what you want.” He shrugged one shoulder. “I did try to do this the nice way, but c es la vie.”

“You're saying that if I allow you to...court me, you won't kill anyone else.” She had to be sure.

“Self-defense is of course an exception.” His gaze sharpened. “And don't get any ideas of wriggling out of details. I want your full involvement, Caroline. You will commit yourself to this. As long as you do, I will temper myself.”

She tried to think of another way, but nothing was magically presenting itself. It was either his way or no way. She bit her lip, scared to say the words, knowing full well if she didn't someone would die. 

And would it be so bad, really? She tried to seize on that flimsy piece of hope. Klaus was psychotic, but he was tender with her. Sometimes. Maybe it would be okay. Maybe she wouldn't regret this for the rest of her incredibly long life. 

He waited patiently, eyes piercing. He seemed to have caught his breath with anticipation. 

She sucked in a deep breath. “Okay,” she said at last. “Okay, I'll do it.” Her arms and knees trembled with the weight of her decision. 

“Your word, Caroline. I want there to be no misunderstanding.” 

“If you swear to never kill another human or vampire except in self-defense, I promise I will...be with you.”

“Without reservations?”

There would always be reservations. “With full commitment.” 

There was a half-beat of silence, as though he were waiting for the other shoe to drop. He exhaled long and slow. A smile lit up his face, satisfaction burning like a fierce light. “Excellent.”


	4. Chapter 4

Caroline Forbes was mine. Every fascinating, quivering, determined inch of her. 

How I enjoyed her steel moral compass. Though vexing from time to time, it did have its perks. It transformed Caroline from a vapid, pretty face into an irresistible beacon of strength...and when necessary, became the perfect tool with which to, shall we say, _guide_ her to my way of thinking. 

She jutted her chin into the air to hide her inner turmoil. I could read her much better than she knew, but I said nothing. I merely watched with avid interest as she turned to sooth the human that was still crying on the floor. I confess that part of me was irked to no longer be the center of her attention. Nearly two years of her absence had made me a bit possessive. 

I felt the corner of my mouth curl and acknowledged the truth. I was possessive long before Caroline ever fled Mystic Falls. 

She spoke in a low, calming voice designed for children and the panicked. And Tyler Lockwood. She did like to baby that boy. 

Lest my good mood darken, I shoved him ruthlessly from my thoughts. He had no place here. Not any longer. 

I let my gaze trail over Caroline's lithe form. Vampires were not known for changing a great deal, but basic biology still had a hand in our existence. Our hair could grow, I had spent the last one thousand years shaving, and though she would rather be daggered than admit it, Rebekah had become quite the glutton when chocolate was first discovered. 

Caroline's hair was longer, though not significantly so. Just enough to sink my hand in and delight in wrapping the strands over my fist. Her hips were rounder, her ass matured from sexy to exquisite. I longed to see what other changes had occurred, but that intriguing hoodie she wore successfully hid them from view. I had only my considerable imagination. 

I swiped a thumb over my mouth, licking it to clean the blood away, my eyes never leaving her. I drank in her differences, cataloging them with male meticulousness. I had never cared what a woman looked like before; truth be told, I liked them all. That is to say, a woman's appearance mattered less than nothing for the two uses I had for her. Blood was blood, and when baser urges took hold, sex was satisfying or disappointing irrespective of shape or size. 

But Caroline's body...oh, there was a feast for all the senses. 

I ran my tongue over my teeth, hopefully clearing away the last traces of my indulgence. I marveled at my own restraint, actually. Despite what Caroline seemed to think, the last two years had not been spent in a zen state of careful planning of this day. She'd actually tricked me for once. Rather, she'd moved just a bit quicker than I could react, leaving me standing on a platform watching her propel herself into a big, big world. 

Abandoned. 

I've wiped out towns for less.

Things got a bit bloody after that. Pent up rage needed an outlet after all. Attempts to terrorize her mother into talking proved fruitless. The woman simply had nothing to tell. She'd stared me down without flinching. At that point my anger was so great that the only thing keeping me from snapping her neck was her ties to her daughter. No matter what else Caroline Forbes might forgive, the murder of her mother was a line that could never be crossed. 

I lost myself in a few dark, violent activities that no doubt will live on in local memory for decades to come, but eventually the fugue dissipated and I focused my energies on recovering what was mine.

And she was mine. 

The irony of the situation did not escape me. I derided Elijah's emotional attachment to Katerina. I had not changed my opinion; love is a vampire's greatest weakness. I sought to escape that trap with Caroline. I was pulled in despite myself, though. Ultimately I learned a painful lesson when she disappeared: better to be with her than without her, whatever my thoughts on my own dependency. 

I listened to Caroline compel the woman into forgetting the last few minutes. She wanted her to go on with her blissfully ignorant day, free from the knowledge of vampires and her own mortality. 

While she would forget, I would not. I would mark this as one of the most satisfying moments of my tumultuous relationship with my girl to date—the moment she surrendered herself into my hands. 

There was very little that I could legitimately claim to regret. This particular piece of coercion was no different. Caroline was as stubborn as they came. I was too easy with her before. The proverbial gloves were off. I would handle her as I saw fit from now on.

With probably as much care as she handled me. 

The human stumbled to her feet and toddled off to live her fleeting life. I didn't bother to watch her go, but it left Caroline and I alone much sooner than she probably liked. 

I didn't mind the accusation in her soft blue eyes after she stood up. Or perhaps it was better to say I tolerated it. I smiled and swept my hand toward her door. “Shall we?” 

She debated. It was a brief struggle. I had already proven I had the upper hand in this situation. The best course of action was simply to follow along. 

Her delectable mouth firmed into a line. She walked smartly over to her still open door and stepped over the threshold. She faced me with a spine as straight as a poker. “Come in, you bastard.” 

I should have expected as much. Caroline wasn't the sort to take anything placidly. Still, my brows shot to my hairline at her sally. 

She didn't wait for my reply. She spun on her heel and marched away. 

I was after her in a flash. I had her backed up against a wide purple couch, my hands on her hips and my pelvis flush against her belly. “Don't be a brat, Caroline. I've been more lenient with you than habit allows.” 

Thunder rolled overhead, a moody backdrop to our own private drama.

She thrust her face at mine. “Oh, that's rich coming from you! Was I the only one standing out there a second ago? And you tricked me!” She slapped both hands on my chest and pushed with all her considerable strength. “Let...go!”

“Fat chance. Let's not forget which of us has spent the last two years on the run...and which of us has done the hunting. My patience can only stretch so far, my love.”

For the first time since meeting again I let Caroline see just how furious I was with her. Her shoves faltered. I heard her heart skip a beat.

My anger lessened somewhat. It was always a delicate balance with her—the need to instill a healthy respect while avoiding fear. I enjoyed terror. It proved my power. A cowering Caroline, however, left a bitter taste in my mouth. 

I lifted one hand from her hips to trace the delicate curve of her cheek. “There are many, many ways I could have handled today. In the beginning I entertained fantasies of locking you in a small, well-furnished room, a lovely studded collar around your neck anchored by a length of chain to the wall. Reinforced, naturally. I was particularly attracted to the idea of rendering you completely dependent upon me.”

Her pupils dilated. 

“You would be my very own pet.” I loved the way she smelled. Even that oversized top she had on couldn't mask it. “As tempting as that notion was, it never seemed quite right.”

Caroline's pulse beat a terrific tattoo against her throat. I let my finger trail over her chin and down the lovely column. “In my darker moments I confess that I wanted to bite this throat and claim it as mine. The problem with that is of course that you would be in danger of dying.” I met her gaze. “Not my ultimate goal.”

The cumbersome material of her hoodie prevented me from following along her collarbone, so I had to content myself with tracing the imaginary line. I curved my hand over her shoulder, marveling at how fragile she seemed compared to me. “I therefore had to ask myself what _was_ my ultimate goal. What did I _really_ want?”

She shivered. I relished it.

I smiled into her face, basking in the intensity of her attention. Her eyes missed nothing. “The answer of course was you.” I leaned in and buried my visage in her hair, inhaling deeply. “Just like this. Breathless. At my mercy. Beautiful, bright Caroline. The only question remaining was...how do I keep you so?” 

“So you thought blackmailing me into dating you was the best course of action?” If she knew her voice shook in my ear, she didn't let on. “That's very Harlequinn romance of you. Is this the part where _no_ means _yes_ and _yes_ means _take me now, you hunk of manbeast_?”

I chuckled. “Read many of those, love? The last option is always open to you.” I gave her a nudge as to leave no doubt what I meant. Then I released her.

Every instinct in me protested not to be stupid, to grab on and hold tight, but I rather fancied the idea of keeping Caroline guessing about my intentions. 

I turned and strolled away, pointedly ignoring the wary stare aimed directly at my shoulders. I looked around, taking in the sights.

It was slightly above average as far as apartments went. The furniture was clearly thrifted, but Caroline—and I had no doubt it was her doing—had proven her creative mettle by scrubbing and repainting with modern colors. I approved of her choices. Tasteful without being obvious, warm without overwhelming. The living room was sparsely furnished on what seemed to be a nonexistent budget. Quite different from the house in Mystic Falls. The ceiling, however, retained the medallion some forgotten artist had fixed there. It was large, floral, and had a touch of timelessness. 

“1890s,” I mused. “It's no brownstone in New York, but it's classic. Architecture went to pot after the forties in America.” I grimaced. “Too generic.” 

She said nothing. I didn't look, but I highly doubted she'd blinked in the last minute and a half. 

I was not surprised Caroline had settled into a place like this. It was an interesting melding of old and new—very much like the lady herself. 

And that was just the living room. There were no end of wonders waiting in Caroline's private bedroom. 

Later, I promised myself. 

There was a whiteboard affixed to the end of the wall separating the eat-in kitchen from the living room. I strode over to it and plucked one of the pizza delivery advertisements from the assortment. “Why don't you order us a few things, darling, while I handle the rest of your birthday extravaganza.” 

I pulled my wallet from my pocket and extracted a card. “My treat, of course.” I thrust both items her direction, gratified by the way she automatically accepted. “No anchovies or pineapples,” I warned. “Fruit and fish do not belong on pizza.” 

She looked from her hand to me as if she'd stopped processing the situation. “You're serious?” 

I didn't smile, but I winked as I replaced the wallet and pulled out my mobile. “As a heart attack.” I pressed speed dial and lifted the phone to my ear. “Robby,” I said without preamble, still looking at Caroline, “Where are we with the cake?” 

She didn't move. “You ordered me a cake.” 

I hummed at Robby's response. “Good.” I hung up. “The cake will be here in an hour. The weather seems to be slowing everyone down.”

“You were that sure of yourself,” she said dully, as if she hadn't heard me. 

I blinked. “I always am, love.”

“I need to sit down,” she suddenly declared. “I just need to...take a deep breath and sit down.” She walked past me with all the animation of a zombie—nasty creatures—heading for a beat up kitchen chair painted a cheery blue. She pulled it out and plopped down, still holding my card and the brochure while she stared at the table surface. 

It was my turn to watch her warily. “Caroline?”

She lifted a shoulder. “Was any of this necessary?” 

I ambled closer. “How do you mean?” I chose my words carefully, unsure of the new turn the conversation had taken. 

“Running. Staying away for two years. What was the point when you just show up and take over like you own me?”

Had she said it in a more accusing voice, I might have gotten defensive. I doubted Caroline knew the meaning of being owned. Women in my day were chattel. Let no one tell you otherwise. There were men that respected their wives,mothers, and lovers, but there were just as many who knew that in the eyes of the law a woman was not a person. She was a piece of property occasionally signed over to a new proprietor. In fact, men used to say “I own a wife” rather than “I have a wife”. 

The Enlightenment had improved the situation somewhat, but the fact was that the majority of my time on Earth saw women as commodities. That was of course excluding the complicated system of serfdom and indentured servitude that in some degree continued to present day. 

No, Caroline didn't know what it was like to be owned. Part of me longed to teach her. 

But I didn't like how defeated she sounded. Rather, I didn't appreciate it. I thought I'd been rather understanding given the circumstances. “I must admit,”I ground out with great effort to hold back my fangs, “I expected to find you in some far flung place like Portugal. Italy.” I shrugged. “Germany.” 

I walked over and pulled out the chair facing her. 

“Couldn't get the money together.”

I had pulled my phone out again and searched my contacts list. “You could have compelled them.”

“Maybe. Maybe I would have done it after a few more years. America's a big place. I wanted to see it as it was before I went somewhere else.” I felt her studying me. “Are you going to tell me you'll take me again?”

I found the name I was looking for and selected it. “Being with me, Caroline,” I said as I held the phone to my ear, “has a great many more perks than traveling.”

The call connected. “Hello?”

“Sheriff Forbes,” I greeted, taking in the way Caroline's pretty eyes widened. “I have someone here that would like to talk to you.” 

I held the phone out like a dark temptation, the display plain for her to see. She watched it the way an alcoholic eyed the bottle, part yearning, part disbelief in its availability. I arched a brow. “Well, Caroline?”


	5. Chapter 5

I've seen and learned a great deal during my time on earth. You don't live a thousand years without picking up a thing or two along the way. _Exempli gratia_ —naked brutality is all well and good, even welcome upon occasion. It's certainly gotten me places in the past.

The human in the hall comes to mind. 

Yet now and then violence proves itself unnecessary. Truth be told, there are times I simply cannot be bothered to break a neck or tear out a throat. There are also rare moments when knocking heads about simply doesn't work. 

That is when the art of coercion comes into play. And it is an art, as much as the stroke of a brush across canvas. The key lies not in _subtly_ , however. It lies in _seduction_. 

It's known as a devil's bargain. Particularly apt, perhaps even a little ironic. Caroline certainly eyed me as if I were Satan himself sprung from the depths. Not exactly a romantic turn to our relationship, but I was working on it. 

I dangled the mobile between two fingers, outright entreating her to take it. Caroline was no fool, of course. She knew that accepting the phone was accepting everything that came with it. My protection. My presence. The future I was determined to have together. 

Time means something different to a vampire. Yet even I felt those seconds tick by keenly. I knew I would win. I never had a doubt on that score. It was merely a matter of finding the right trigger. My blond vampiress had let me through the door. She had even agreed to my terms. But up until that very moment, Caroline had never once accepted me. It seemed I had never realized how much importance I laid upon that fact. I felt it weigh down upon my shoulders and chest, a tangible bubble of anticipation. 

I finally had the trump card in my hand. 

“Hello?” The tinny voice of the sheriff cut through the silence.

Caroline's eyes were instantly wet. She sucked in a breath that sounded almost painful, and the cord of her resistance snapped. For once her vampire speed was faster than even my eye could catch; the phone was in her hand, pressed against her delicate ear, and soon she was babbling watery gibberish that made no sense to anyone but her mother. I merely understood the occasional, “Mom! Mom!” as if calling the name enough would invoke the woman's physical presence in the kitchen. 

It struck me then, how deeply Caroline had felt the separation from her parent. I have experienced a variety of emotions towards my dam and sire; some violent, all of them powerful, but none had matched this...breadth, if one discounted the chasm of longing I'd once had. Caroline attacked the conversation like a cat latching onto a tree. It was equal parts adorable and baffling. During the course of my observation, for a very brief moment, the region around my heart softened and I felt yearning. 

For what, I wasn't certain. I merely refused to pursue it further. 

I sat and watched for quite a while; Caroline had forgotten me within seconds. I could view her essentially unobserved even when her exultant energy became too much. She rose from the chair and went on the move. She never really stopped. Not after ten minutes. Not even after thirty, or when the call transferred from my phone to Skype on the laptop previously abandoned on the coffee table. There was an interesting break when Sheriff Forbes noted my presence; naturally she knew I was there—I had after all called her—but my proximity to her child gave her the minutest of pauses. Then her relief at speaking with Caroline reasserted itself and the conversation was off again. 

The cake arrived eventually. I accepted it at the door and put in a further order for pizza. Caroline was not going to be speaking with me for a while. Even vampires want something to nosh on now and then. 

As they talked, I wandered. I listened intently while I took better looks at the photos distributed artfully about the room. Caroline was recounting her adventures of the last two years with a depth of detail I found astonishing. I knew much of it already. Caroline had perfected the art of the written letter during her absence, pouring everything she could onto the pages. I felt no less intrusive now than I did hungrily reading her letters, looking for any sign or clue of where she was. I let her voice roll over me like a babbling brook, comforted by the sound of the rain and the thunder in the backdrop. 

There was something charming in the way Caroline told stories. She had absolutely no talent for telling jokes. She always arsed it in one way or the other, yet she could describe a place in such a way as to set her audience firmly in the scenery. When she waved her hands dramatically, I waited for the frustration to blow over. When she laughed, I found myself smiling. I had not realized how much I missed her laugh. 

I was grateful vampires couldn't read minds. Mine was altogether too steeped in sentimentality to be borne. 

I admitted a small amount of perverse satisfaction in the situation. Despite the irritation her disappearance had caused me, she had inadvertently done exactly what I wished her to do. She had spread her delightful little Southern wings and tasted a bit of what the world had to offer. How telling that after two—and by her own admission, long-- years away from that dreary one-pony town, Caroline had only expressed interest in seeing her mother. In fact, she'd declared herself starkly opposed to returning to Mystic Falls. 

I smiled to myself. She had yet to openly say so, but her appetite for travel had only been whetted. It was clear in her story telling. It was present in every picture she displayed, every souvenir she'd collected. Caroline had seen marvelous things. Knowing her as I did, I was certain they hadn't been enough to satisfy her. I planned to capitalize on that. 

She was a beautiful challenge, Caroline. The first woman I wanted to want me. 

I picked up a worn copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ and flipped through it. The familiar perfume of old paper wafted up. The book's presence amused me. Charming Miss Jane Austen immortalized only a small, biased fragment of human attitude. If one took her word for gospel, one might believe that the pre-modern world was all curtsies and restrained passions. 

No one but historians and teachers recalled the Year of No Summer, when a volcanic eruption caused disastrous changes to the climate. Paintings from that period depicted brilliant yellow sunsets thanks to the atmospheric variations, but it was so much more than pretty colors. I remember the food shortages. The temperatures dropped below freezing well into June, killing all the necessary crops. There wasn't enough to feed horses, let alone people. Death was everywhere, and desperation turns a human into something very ugly indeed.

Shakespeare himself was a bit of a nasty bastard, though people wouldn't know that for centuries. Another case of a writer's work replacing reality. People thought of Romeo and Juliet and sighed over its romanticism. I recalled a time when fourteen was a respectable age for marriage and motherhood. People tended to get old quickly in those days. As for the author, he was something of a landowner who liked to hoard food and then sell it at enormously inflated prices. Not the courtly picture one might get from say, Pride and Prejudice. 

Before that there was the Plague. At times I could still smell the stench. Mass death, mass graves, lots and lots of land available for the taking. Hundreds of battles fought for that land. Europe essentially became a dog fight in a very small pen. Brutal, unforgiving, and deadly. 

Before that there were the Crusades, before that William the Bastard's invasion of Britain, both of which were completely with people skinned and boiled alive. 

Endless cyclical apocalyptic fright, witch trials, beheadings, rape, depravity, savagery, murder, mayhem, and human trafficking. A thousand years of history and all Caroline probably knew of it was a book about a man proposing before he'd ever gotten around to kissing the lady. 

My lips quirked. I was very much a product of my experiences, the depths of which would terrify Caroline if she had more than an inkling. Had this been another era, I doubt I would have expended the same energy in beguiling her as I have done these last few years. I wondered if she realized how enormously patient I had been thus far. Most likely not. 

“You're more Rochester than Darcy.”

I looked up, surprised to find the call had concluded. My thoughts had taken me further than I'd realized. Caroline was watching me solemnly over the back of the couch, her expression cryptic. I wondered how long she had been observing me unnoticed. “Care to elaborate?”

She leaned her cheek on the cushion, leaving only her eyes exposed to me. “You're broody and mercurial. Your moods switch like a light and people can never tell what you're going to do next.” 

I closed the paperback and returned it to its place. “And here I thought you were going to reference a secret wife and a tragic penchant for uttering exclamations.” 

She tilted her head, solemn as a church mouse. “I could mention the age difference, but I'll let the obvious state itself.”

I approached and leaned a hip on the sofa back where I could see her better, arms crossed. “Would you also like to draw similarities between yourself and Jane? Rochester's little bird flew away too, only to return to his side after a year.” 

“Maybe. Some people need to leave.” 

“I agree.” I could not get enough of looking at her. “One might argue she was a better person for the experience, but the fact remains that they belonged together.” 

The need to touch her became too strong to resist. I reached up and tucked a curl behind her ear, smiling when her eyes turned wary. She had noted my increased familiarity and it put her on her guard. A hint of mischief prodded me to lean forward and drop my voice half an octave. “I'm not Rochester, Caroline. If anything, I am Hades of the Underworld.”

*****

I felt the declaration right in my gut, because yes, yes he was. And if he was Hades, then there was no doubt in my mind he thought of me as Persephone.

His smile widened. “Care for something to eat, darling?” 

My eyebrows shot up and he laughed at me. Well, what had he expected? Rapture? Geez.

“I ordered pizza and your cake is going to spoil if we don't do something about it soon.” He rose with the grace of a cat, like the rules of inertia didn't apply to him. I wanted to tell him to take his cake and put it where the sun didn't shine, but something stopped me. Call it sentimentality. I'd just spent over an hour talking to my mom for the first time in years and I was as emotionally spent as a person could be. Call it longing; even though my mom had wished me a soft, “happy birthday” before hanging up—like that's not a tearjerker—I hadn't really celebrated my birthday in...way too long. 

I wanted to be the belle of the ball again. Miss Mystic Falls, with a ton of birthday cards and a gorgeous guy on my arm. 

And I wanted to be the Caroline Forbes I was now. The entrepreneur. The traveler. The former waitress. 

I spent my 18th birthday in bed, convinced I was going to die. I spent my 19th birthday locked in my room with a cupcake and a candle so no one would ask questions. I supposed spending my 20th with a guy literally a thousand years old and a serious thing for me wasn't the worst way to end the evening. If I told Klaus, which I had no intention of doing, about how I felt right then, he'd probably have said something about marking new beginnings. Bringing the old and new me together.

That wasn't so bad.

Part of me wasn't even shocked that I'd come to all these conclusions with Mr. Ancient Psycho in the room, either. 

So I got up without a word. He stood aside like a gentleman and let me pass him, but not before I caught that surprised glint of pleasure in his eyes. I guess he expected me to put up a fight. He _had_ tried to rip out my neighbor's throat and manipulated me into....I don't know, dating him or whatever people could call it. 

The problem was that there comes a point in an evening of nonstop action where stuff doesn't affect you anymore. Nothing else could possibly have surprised me that day. 

It was strange, how much Klaus filled up a room just by standing in it. He wasn't even within touching distance yet I could feel his eyes on my back. He had presence, and charisma, and intensity. Not the Brad Pitt/Achilles in Troy kind either. More like...what was the name of the bad guy in _Star Trek_? 

I turned the corner, Klaus behind me, when I spotted the cake for the first time. _Star Trek_ was totally forgotten.

I didn't know what I was expecting. Actually, that was a lie. That conversation we'd once had about birthdays, coupled with the fancy balls and expensive gifts led me to believe that my birthday cake would be huge. Massive. Barely able to fit on my thrifted table.

I was wrong.

I didn't know what to make of the small white frosted confection. I leaned closer to inspect the swirls artfully drawn on the sides. There sprinkles of chocolate on the top. Not sprinkles the way I knew them; actual chocolate flakes that looked as though they'd been painstakingly shaved from a bar. There were deco ridges on the top that demarcated piece size. Nothing was written on the cake, just a cherry sitting in the middle like a proud crown. 

I'd never seen anything like it. 

I looked at Klaus, wondering what I was looking at. “Where did you get this?” 

He was fiddling with his phone again. “Turns out there's a delightful German bakery in the vicinity. I took the liberty of making the baker lady's acquaintance.”

I was nonplussed. “Is there a bratwurst in the middle?” 

Music began to play. It wasn't anything remotely modern. There were a lot of violins and other important-sounding instruments. 

“Have you never had a cake made by a German before?” I detected a hint of amusement under the scandalized tone. He put the phone on the counter, letting it play on. “I despair of you, love. No one does cake like the Germans.” 

He turned on his heel and gestured to the treat with an elegant hand. If I didn't know better, I would have thought I was sitting in a fine restaurant instead of my apartment. With great pomp and circumstance, he solemnly declared, “This, my lady, is a genuine _Schwarzwaelder Kirschtorte_.” 

The words tripped off his tongue like music notes. Nothing harsh about it. I wondered if everybody could make German sound as good as Klaus did, or had I misjudged the language completely? I laughed despite myself. “What does that mean?”

He came forward, shaking his head as he pulled out a chair. “Black Forest Cake.” He indicated I sit, and I did so. Not totally at ease, mind you, but distracted for the moment. “Heavy cream lightly sugared and whipped into a fine, delicious layer of frosting, followed by a layer of chocolate cake. It tenderly squeezes dark cherries in the middle like a precious secret, and that's only the beginning. It's an experience not to be missed.”

I stared. “I've never heard anybody talk about cake like that.”

“This isn't an ordinary cake. It's a masterpiece. Beauty in edible form. I'm nothing if not a lover of art.”

There was an understatement. He'd practically made love to the cake verbally. If the baker lady had been in the room, I was pretty sure he would have kissed her in gratitude.

Bemused, I looked between it and him as Klaus bustled for plates and forks. I thought I heard him mutter something about lack of cake forks, whatever they were, and then he was back, sitting down. He was pleased as punch with himself. 

With deft movements he cut into the cake. “No candles?” I asked. 

“Superfluous in this instance.” He handed me a plate. “This little darling needs no embellishments.” He then served himself and picked up a fork, raising it like a glass of wine at me. “Happy Birthday, Caroline.”

I had done stranger things. Going to school as a vampire. Falling for a werewolf with a deadly bite. Getting kidnapped by my dad and my teacher and tortured. Asking a witch to do any number of mind-bending spells. Agreeing to date the second-oldest guy in the history of mankind. 

Cake with a hybrid after two years of running from him? Nothing to it. 

I gamely raised my fork and clinked it with Klaus'. Because I'm no coward. “Happy Birthday to me.” 

How to get myself out of the situation? I had no idea. That was a problem that was going to have to wait for at least another hour. I daintily cut a piece and put it in my mouth. 

Oh. My. God.

It wasn't sweet. Now where near it. But it was creamy and chocolatey and packed so full of cherry goodness that I couldn't keep a moan from escaping my mouth. “This is...” If the baker lady really had been there, forget Klaus; I would have kissed her myself. “So much better than frozen cheesecake.” 

Not that frozen cake wasn't good. But this was on a new level entirely. 

He smiled wide enough to show teeth. Why did people feel so pleased when someone liked what they liked? Guess it was one of those human qualities nobody really shook. Conversation came up short in the wake of my eating and the music playing against the thunder in the background. On a purely sublime level I was lost in the heaven that was Black Forest. Which made me think of Germany.

Which made me wonder what it was like.

Which made me think of traveling.

Which made me think of Klaus. 

It didn't take a genius to figure out where my mind went to next. 

By that point I had calmed down enough to assimilate everything that had happened. My blood no longer raced from the unexpected fight in the supermarket or the flat out bastardly way Klaus manipulated me in the hall. I was even sort of getting over the shock of talking to Mom. It was time to go into planning mode.

I excel with planning. Unfortunately I was forced to admit this was out of my usual scope. Essentially I had been pressed into a relationship with a guy under duress. Not without giving back some of my own, thank God. I had had the foresight to throw out conditions and he accepted. I couldn't help but wonder, though, if I should have laid down a few more. Like no touching, no kissing, no hanky panky.

Funny what a person realizes in hindsight. 

I mean, really, this could go any way he wanted it. He had all the cards. Somehow I didn't think his idea of courtship and my idea of courtship were the same thing. Like he said, Klaus was no Darcy. He wasn't even Rochester. He was Hades, the guy who kidnapped a woman to marry him. 

How did a girl undermine that kind of determination? Running again would be next to impossible. He'd no doubt have an eagle eye on me from that point on. Damon would say stake him, but Damon Salvatore was also the jerk who bit me six ways to Sunday for his pure, sadistic pleasure. The last thing I wanted to do was follow his advice.

I used to think there was no one badder than Damon. My gaze darted to Klaus. Guess I was wrong.

Okay, so one Salvatore brother down, one to go. What would Stefan do? I chewed thoughtfully. Stefan would try to outsmart Klaus. Corner him, give him no choice but to retreat. Did I have anything I could use to my advantage? 

Other than my gorgeous Miss Mystic Falls looks? Nada. No dagger, no cure, no witch. Just a hoodie, jeans, a few glue sticks and sparklies leftover from my last craft project. Frankly I didn't think Klaus was the kind of guy to let a little glitter ruin his day. 

Oooh, what if I totally acted like a brat? Make the relationship a living hell. There were girls who just couldn't be pleased. I could draw on pre-vampire Caroline and take it up a notch. I knew Klaus well enough to know he'd never put up with that kind of thing.

Except he tended to snap the necks of people who annoyed him. I'd come back from it, but seriously, it's painful. Besides, it was probably only the first level of what he'd do to me.

I swallowed. 

Okay, it wasn't totally fair to say that. I had seen the tender side of Klaus before. There were plenty of times he could have killed me and he didn't. Yeah, he'd bitten me. Yeah, he caused Tyler to bit me. Neither time I was ever  
going to forget. He'd killed Tyler's mom, Jenna, and a lot more people than I cared to name. If I'd stacked up all the times I played bait against the number of times he could have ended me and didn't...well, there was a reason I was shocked the second time he bit me. 

Klaus had this dangerous ability to make me forget how much of a loose cannon he was. I had to remind myself until he went and added to the list. I was supposed to trust myself to a guy like that? 

“Looking for a way out?”

“With everything I've got.” My mouth dropped open. Oh god, I'd said that out loud!

His brow quirked. It wasn't leaping over the table and taking me out, but who knew what was going to happen? I tensed, waiting for the other shoe to fall.

“There isn't,” he simply said. “Even if you hadn't given your word, love, you're intelligent enough to realize you've no option but to resign yourself.”

“That's romantic,” I countered dryly. 

A slow heat sparked in his eye. “It would be if you would just relax.”

I waved the fork around. “How am I supposed to do that? This isn't a normal relationship I've committed to here. People get together, yeah, but they break up too. Look at me and Matt.”

He rolled his eyes. “The American boy wonder. I've seen him. So honorable and sincere. There's a Darcy for you.” 

“Whatever. He was sweet and I really liked him.” I didn't want to say the other L word in case Klaus get any ideas. “But things changed and I had to let him go.”

“Then came the reformed bad boy werewolf with an unfortunate habit of picking fights he couldn't win.”

My temper flared. “Don't talk about him like that, okay? Just don't.” I was going to stand my ground on that if it killed me. 

He sighed, tongue tucked in his cheek. “Fine.” He leaned forward on his elbows. “You were saying?”

“My point is that time changes things, people, and circumstances. Let's say I relaxed,” I used bunny quotes as I said it, “and went with the flow. We've got more time than anyone else on earth. One day you're going to get tired of your shiny toy and then what? You'll rip my heart out?” I couldn't help the tiny piece of panic that wedged its way into my voice. 

“You're overthinking.”

“That's not an answer.” 

“Was the question not rhetorical?”

I huffed but said nothing. My glare was designed to say it all. 

He toyed with his fork spinning it idly between his fingers. “Your problem, Caroline, is a lack of trust.” 

I pursed my lips. Seriously? He was going to go there? 

“...which could be construed as a fault on my part.” His frown intensified. “You haven't exactly been a paragon of honesty yourself.”

I sat back. Point for Klaus. I wasn't going down that easily though. “This is nuts and you know it.”

“Tell me, Caroline, how did you imagine our reunion would play itself out?”

“I didn't think there would be one.”

His mouth molded itself into a smug smirk. “Oh, now that's not true a'tall.” His lashes swept down to hood his eyes. “Somewhere deep down in that defiant little heart of yours,” he murmured as he tried to stare at that organ  
through my chest, “you knew this day would come.”

I crossed my arms in front of me self-consciously. 

It didn't deter him. “I'm certain you envisioned copious amounts of blood spilled.”

“Like it was in the hall?” I shot back. “Or the way you threatened to do after?” I suddenly had visions of collars and pets and rooms, harkening back to that unbelievable exchange practically on my couch. I wasn't dumb enough to draw his attention to it though. 

“Ah.” He held up the fork to stab the word in its place. “But none of it was yours, was it?” He set the utensil firmly on the tabletop. “Let's clear something up, shall we? You ran away. I have given chase. I've caught you. According to the laws of the jungle, that makes you mine. I don't damage what's mine.”

My heartbeat was beginning to race again. I licked my lips nervously. “You repeatedly daggered your brothers and sisters. You killed your mother and your father. I hate to beat a dead horse, but you bit me twice with near fatal consequences.”

His head tilted sharply, eyes on my lips. “Daggered but didn't kill. My father was a hardnosed bastard who tried to end me first. Saved your life both times.” His fingers drummed. “You've got me on the mother issue, I'm afraid. Can't work up much regret in that area.” 

That did not make me feel better. 

In that moment the music changed from something Beethoven could have written to a bouncy tune with words. It had a big band feel to it, starting with a flourish of piano keys and moving into a scratchy record, 1940s offering. It was totally at odds with the atmosphere between us. A woman started to croon about another day, another night. Despite myself I looked at the phone just as she met a man surrounded by friends. 

_I know you don't love me, but still I burn for you_  
I know you don't love me, this flame won't die  
It's true 

Oh, Jesus, I thought with foreboding. Not now.

My eyes slid to Klaus, feeling like the room had suddenly constricted a million degrees. He was watching me with that look, the one I could have imagined with my eyes closed. I tried not to listen to the words or think about how much they applied to him. It was one of those strange moments where I could almost believe there was something higher at work, pushing me in his direction. 

Or it was just because it was a song on his phone, one he could have picked on purpose for all I knew. 

God, how _awkward_. It was like listening to an intimate conversation, a piece of Klaus' innermost thoughts that I wasn't sure I was prepared to hear. I didn't know where to look: him, the ceiling, the cake, or the floor. My cheeks stung with a blush. I tried desperately to find something to say, but a piece of cotton got stuck in my throat and stayed there. 

Klaus stood, the chair scooting back with an audible screech. My heart jumped. I stood up without thinking about it, pure instinct leaping into action. I turned, ready to sprint faster than an Olympian. I don't know why—he could have gotten up to change the song—but I knew, I _knew_ that wasn't the case. 

His arm came down like a bar in front of my hips, his hand on the plaster of the partition wall. He crowded me against it, chest to my shoulder, groin to my pelvic bone. He didn't press, didn't touch me anywhere else, but in that second all I could feel was his heat and the desire coming off of him in waves. 

“There's nowhere to go,” he told me softly. “Nowhere to hide.” I felt his gaze burn into the side of my face. I couldn't make myself look at him. He too...too...much. Just too much for me. 

I turned my face to get away from the tickle of his breath on my neck. “This isn't necessary.” I tried to sound calm.

“Isn't it?” Fingers brushed my curls back, exposing me further. I felt more naked in that moment than if I'd gone skinny dipping. It was a terrible, confusing feeling. Just one more to add to the pile labeled 'Klaus'. 

He could hear my heartbeat. I didn't have to ask to know that. All the things that made him the most powerful creature on earth made him just as deadly to my composure. 

“Caroline,” he whispered. It sounded rough, like he couldn't keep himself from saying it. I'd never heard my name in that kind of voice before. He leaned his forehead against my crown, lips millimeters from my ear. 

I closed my eyes, terrified, tense, and resigned all at once. 

“Would you care to dance?”

My eyes popped open and I twisted to look up at him. “What?” 

Instead of answering, he took my hand and pulled, using me to execute a perfect spin before bringing me back to his chest. 

I was having a hard time grasping the situation. “I thought...”

“I know what you thought. I am merely disinterested in further debate.” His eyes bored into mine. “We are who we are, Caroline. Discussing the whys and wherefores is a useless exercise that I have no intention of indulging in.” 

He turned on his heel expertly, his other arm wrapped loosely around my waist so that I followed. “As far as I'm concerned,” he rumbled, “this is the course we've plotted and there's no option but to see it through to the end.” 

Subject closed. He didn't say it, but it was there in the way he smiled purposefully and spun me into a sweetheart hold. To Klaus, the whole thing was a foregone conclusion. Resistance was futile. 

Bemused and bewildered, I found myself dancing with a semi-psychotic hybrid in my kitchen, the lyrics of the song echoing eerily in my ears...

_Maybe you're missing the telepathy_  
There's a disconnection, you don't think of me  
I don't really care because I disagree  
'Cause I'm the only part that you don't see 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit to the song goes to Caro Emerald--You Don't Love Me. Check it out!


	6. Chapter 6

She followed my lead as if she were born to do it.

I was not infatuated enough to believe that to be the case, but it certainly proved my point about our compatibility. One small hand clasped in mine, the other resting on my shoulder, she went through the twists and turns with nary a thought. I had no doubt the wheels of her mind were occupied with other matters.

When Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong took over for Caro Emerald, I resisted my girl's halfhearted attempt to withdraw. I pulled her closer and changed my tempo.

_The odds were a hundred to one against me_

_The world thought the heights were too high to climb_

_But people of misery never incense me_

_Oh I wasn't a bit concerned_

_For from history I had learned_

_How many many times the world had turned_

I nuzzled my face against the side of her face, breathing in her scent. My eyes slid shut in pleasure. I had always had a soft spot for this particular tune. Not only was it a lovely melody to dance to, it seemed to inadvertently illustrate some of my personal experiences.

_They all laughed at Christopher Columbus_

_when he said the world was round_

_They all laughed when Edison recorded sound_

_They all laughed at Will and his brother_

_when they said man could fly_

_They told Marconi wireless was a phony_

_It's the same old cry_

I snorted in amusement at the mention of the Wright Brothers and amended my statement. Personal experiences-with the exception of a few historical inaccuracies.

I swept Caroline effortlessly about the room. She was a wonderful dancer. A bit out of practice likely from lack of a suitable partner. Not many of the newest batch of humans appreciated the intimacies of formal dancing. I could completely blame them. Bumping and gyrating in a club to pounding bass was terribly fun, if mindless. It was not so far removed from the 'primitive' forms of dance from yesteryear. I had a vision of arching my body against Caroline's on a dark dance floor and my body tensed with barely suppressed desire. I nearly licked my lips, so delicious did I find the thought. To feel her like that would be...breathtaking.

I stepped back and twirled her, returning with my thigh neatly pressed to her groin when I maneuvered her round the chair. Her eyes widened ever so slightly. When Caroline wore heels, she could almost look me in the eye. In her quirky sneakers, however, she was cheek-to-forehead. Not too tall, not too short. Perfect for my purposes.

Varied and disparate as they were.

"You're not going to let this go, are you."

I raised a brow. Had I not already made that clear? Caroline was usually quicker on the uptake than this. Ah, denial. Such a powerful defense. Luckily my will far outstripped its potency.

She blinked once, twice. "This is going to happen no matter what."

"Now you're getting the idea." Whether or not this was the traditional acceptance stage of the night, I was pleased she was working through it.

"Nothing I say or do will convince you otherwise."

"Nothing whatsoever," I agreed amiably. Was it my imagination, or had her shoulders slumped just a little? I turned her again with a gentle press on the small of her back.

Her head lowered until it rested limply on her hand, pinning it between my body and hers. I didn't delude myself; this was no solicitation of comfort. This was realization pure and simple. The finality of the circumstances had finally made itself known to Caroline, and it made her weak at the knees as such things were wont to do. She leaned on the first pillar of strength she could find: me.

In my heart of hearts, the very essence of my complicated self, I warmed.

I laid my cheek upon her head. "You know, you're not without power in this arrangement." I was willing to allow her that. It was not my intention to terrorize Caroline. That would take a great deal more energy than I was willing to channel in that direction. I had other interests much better served by her cooperation.

Bait cast, I had only to wait milliseconds for Caroline to warily ask, "How?"

_They laughed at me wanting you_

_Said it would be "Hello, goodbye!"_

_But oh you came through_

_Now they're eating humble pie_

Ah, Ella. A woman who knew just how to tickle my fancies.

Caroline lifted her head, finally meeting my gaze. "Klaus? What do you mean I have power?"

I swayed from side to side. "Exactly that, love. This is a courtship. Thus I mean to beguile, confuse, entice, and ensnare you in as realistic a romantic fashion as I am capable of." I started to hum, enjoying the suspense.

She thumped me on the chest. "Would you spit it out already?"

I laughed. That! That was what I wanted. Her fire, which never failed to arouse me. Every Alpha male needed an Alpha bitch to head his pack. Subordinate to him, but still his match.

Let Darcy have his Elizabeth. I would welcome Persephone any day.

Pleased beyond words, I broke out of our dance and pressed her against the counter, shamelessly locking her in with an arm braced on each side. She slapped both hands on my chest and gave me a warning look, feet spread apart for balance. "Don't even think about it, Klaus."

"Oh, I'll think about it, Caroline," I purred, letting her see my lust. What reason did I have to hide it? She was mine. All mine. I reveled in the knowledge. Gloried in it. Rare euphoria made me playful.

She grew more determined. "Well, that's all you're going to do. I'm not hopping into bed with you, no matter how touchy feely you get."

"Yet you wonder in what way you hold power."

She tilted her head, unsure.

The heat between us was incredible. I felt every inch of her presence against me and yet we barely touched. Had I known nothing else about her, the power of our mutual attraction would have been enough to draw my interest.

I raised a hand and teasingly traced the line of her wrist. "Why do you think I never compel you, darling? No doubt you'll agree it would hardly be out of character for me. Instead I'm reduced to bargains and coercion." I pretended puzzlement. "Odd, isn't it, that I ask for dates and courtships instead of the usual virginal sacrifice."

"The effort would be wasted on a non-virgin?" she quipped.

I favored her with a look. "Caroline."

Her fingers curled slightly. "Alright. I get it. You want me willing. Sort of. What I don't get is why." She blew out a breath. "I can't believe I'm pointing this out, but you've got the upper hand. You could do anything you wanted."

"True." I could not help but approve when she pursed her lips like that. "The idea holds some appeal, or have you forgotten about the collar already?"

Her jaw tightened. I would take that as a no.

"I thought you would know by now that I'm not your traditional villain." I settled my hand on her hip, deliberately wrapping each finger around the bone with just the right amount of pressure. "I leave the cliches to the mediocre."

I looked into her eyes, sobering slightly under her scrutiny. "Let's not think of this in terms of bargains and bad guys," I offered, unable to control the husky note in my voice. I eased closer, noting with suppressed interest that she didn't push me away. "Let's simply consider it..."

The skin along her jaw was soft and smooth to the touch, and oh, how I loved to touch. I found myself caught up in the experience, half-forgetting what I wanted to say. I heard a slight change in her breathing. Whatever else had come between us, Caroline had never been quite able to ignore me. Her blue eyes were luminous, observing me closely. They were absent of every hostility and confusion.

"Consider it what?" Her voice was low, husky.

It was gratifying on a level I had not anticipated.

I leaned in ever so slightly, the moment suspended. Her lips were just beyond mine... "Foreplay," I whispered before smiling wickedly.

As long as I lived, I would never forget how utterly confounded Caroline appeared just then. In fact, I decided to immortalize it on paper the moment I left her presence.

Why waste an exit? "It's late," I noted with cheery tones. "Big day tomorrow, my love. Lots of plans."

Reaction was just starting to get the better of her. "You—you-"

Faster than a blink I cupped her face in my hands. "Until then, Caroline." I pressed a smacking kiss to her cheek and let go before she could do anything about it. To my great delight it only flummoxed her more.

She clapped a hand over her cheek. "Stop that!" she cried out in frustration. "Stand still like a normal person and talk to me!"

"Not a chance in hell," I tossed over my shoulder while striding to the door. To say I was satisfied with myself was an understatement of supernatural magnitude. I was exultant, high from my success. Caroline obviously didn't know what to make of me and for that I was superbly appreciative. I enjoyed any advantage I had over her.

A thought stopped me. "Ah!" I spun on my heel and reached out. Caroline snapped into a judo position she must have learned from too much television, only to gape when I reached behind her for my mobile. "Can't forget this."

"Klaus!" she called after me. "Don't you dare!"

I shut the door behind me with a flourish.

There was no containing my terrible glee.

Game on.

XXXXX

Big plans? FOREPLAY?

I rolled my head from side to side, face buried in my pillow, same as it had been for half an hour now. Good thing I didn't need to breathe. I would have suffocating in feathers by now. Better than being staked, but come on, who wanted to die like that?

Foreplay. God.

I'd replayed the entire afternoon in my head on a never ending loop from the first millisecond after Klaus left. What he did, what he said, what I did, what I said—everything. And I got nowhere with it. There had to be a better word than 'surreal' to describe everything, but I just couldn't come up with one without a dictionary.

He just—I just-

Foreplay?

Big plans?

I was in so much trouble.

I flopped over to my back and shoved my hair off of my forehead so that I could stare at the ceiling. I couldn't help but wonder if trouble was an understatement. Here were the facts: Klaus found me, he pressured me into being _courted_ , there was no way out.

None.

So what did I do? Just go along with everything the way he wanted? I couldn't picture that. In a way I kinda didn't want to. Klaus did not exactly inspire squeaky clean imagery. Look what he said about the collars.

I had internet. I knew what that meant.

Okay, no way out but not following along like a mindless doll. Where did that leave me?

Part of me wanted to call Mom again. I wanted to hear her voice. I knew she'd answer. I mean, I was her daughter, right? Of course she'd answer. But as much as I loved the knowledge that I could call her again any time, any where, I didn't want to call her about this. God knew what she was thinking already. Telling her what I was doing with him would be stupid. She had a gun and she wasn't afraid to use it.

Klaus would not take getting shot kindly.

No, leaving Mom out of this was better. I'd make up something to say to let her know that I was okay. Call that part of growing up a little. Sixteen year old me would have whined and spilled the beans within 20 seconds. Now I had a bit more respect for my mother's state of mind. Sometimes you just didn't want to worry the ones you loved, no matter what situation you were dealing with.

I was on my own.

I blew out a breath. There wasn't a tutorial for this kind of situation, so I was going to have to wing it. If I wasn't going to be a mindless doll and I couldn't get away with being a brat, that only left one option: putting my best foot forward. That's what I did with Matt as a human. It's what I did with Tyler, and that had the added bonus of werewolf-ery thrown in. Wasn't that was I should do with Klaus? He wanted to date me. It made sense he would have to date the real me.

One thing was clear: dwelling on the start of the relationship was not going to help. I couldn't do change it, so I had to let it go and try to make the best of the situation I'd been given.

I rolled to my side.

But not dwelling didn't mean forgiving. Just like I wasn't going to forgive Jenna dying, or Tyler's mom, or Tyler being forced to leave town. Klaus had to be made accountable for the damage and changes he'd inflicted. Two years away from my mom had put Tyler's loss into much keener perspective. Sure, Dad dying hadn't been easy, but he'd made his own choice. Carol Lockwood got held under water until she drowned.

Thinking about it started to make me angry. I had to use the vampire compartmentalization trick to square it away. If I was going to get anywhere, I had to set all that aside. Yeah, it sucked, but that was reality.

Back to the battle plan.

The way I saw it, Klaus was willing to allow me some boundaries. I'd watched enough Nat Geo to know that solidifying those boundaries was priority number one in the jungle mentality. I had to draw my line, lay a few bricks, cement that baby, and then rig it with TNT if I was going to have equal footing and respect from the oldest twenty-something in history.

This was going to go at my pace, I decided firmly. And if Klaus didn't like it-

Well, I didn't know exactly what I would do in that case, but it made me feel better to have some kind of goal in mind.

That night I laid there for a long time, thinking about how I was going to proceed from then on. I tried not to think too much about the sexual part of things, but it eventually had to be considered. He wasn't going to jump me, but Klaus made it clear that he expected sex at some point. People always worked at different paces in that department, but it was pretty safe to say that sex always popped up in a relationship.

How did I feel about that?

I didn't really know.

In the beginning I didn't want to be touched by anybody. The wound of Tyler leaving was still too raw, and I was one of those girls that felt loyal to a memory, even though I'd told him to forget me. God, how painful that had been. But time marched on. I didn't like it, and I knew that two years would probably be a drop in the ocean of my lifespan, but I still felt its passing.

I felt lonely.

So I tried to make myself feel better by sleeping with someone else. I felt guilty the first time. I think people who'd lost their husbands or wives probably felt the same way, the first time they slept with someone else. Like they were cheating. I felt like a cheater. But I wasn't, and that made me feel even worse somehow.

That particular guy wasn't someone special. It was a same place, same empty feeling thing. To be honest, I couldn't remember his name, but I could picture his face. He was nice. He wanted me, and that made me feel good. I did remember that he'd just broken up with his girlfriend, so maybe I made him feel good too. He was gone before I woke up the next morning, but he had bought me breakfast and left a nice note with it on a tray, making him a pleasant memory.

The second time was easier. Lasted a little bit longer, and the guilt was a little less. The third time was a short lived romance that I could now say was just a fling to get my toe back in the water. Once that ended, I felt more like me, less like a girl missing her boyfriend. By then I started to genuinely hope that Tyler was having the same experiences, that he was growing used to our separation and starting a new life.

If at first I wanted him to move on out of a sense of noble idiocy, by now I realized that things had just...ended. It was sad and bittersweet, but I couldn't think of a way we could have done more. If I'd gone with him, Klaus would have murdered him for sure.

And sometimes, if I think about it, I can't remember if Tyler ever asked me to go with him. Maybe he did. Maybe it was better that I didn't remember. The fact was that I was here, and he was somewhere else. End of story.

If that ever changed in the future, I'd deal with it then.

So while I wasn't holding back out of some sense of loyalty to Tyler (per se), I couldn't quite wrap my mind around sleeping with Klaus either. Objectively, yes. I may be blonde, but I wasn't blind: I knew Klaus was attractive, even a hottie by many, many standards. If I didn't know anything about him and just saw those pretty lips and the way he moved, I probably would have melted right then and there.

But I did know him, and what they say about women connecting feelings with sex wasn't total bull. Animal instinct would take care of a lot of things in the heat of the moment, but what about the morning after? Could I just let go and not regret it? Not feel like the biggest betrayer in the history of betrayers?

It was the million dollar question. One that, unfortunately, I had no answer to.

I could turn it off. Just lock it all away until I didn't care anymore. Stefan did it with Elena. Damon did it with...everybody else. I could too.

I didn't want to. I liked myself. I wanted to be myself, if that made any sense. Klaus said that he wanted me willing. Well, he'd get me. If not willing, then at least not being a coward—that meant totally present and emotionally accounted for.

There were a lot of things left to consider, but by that point I was so mentally exhausted I considered just shutting my eyes and going to sleep in my clothes. I managed to drag myself and toss and kick off all the essentials, but after that I flopped back and let dreamland take me.

At three oh three in the morning my phone rang, startling me out of my sleep. I groped for it on the nightstand and squinted. I didn't recognize the number, but then again, I'm not the sharpest tooth in the smile at three am. I pressed the button and held it to my ear. "Hello?"

"Caroline? It's me."

I blinked. "Mom?"

"What's going on?

Joy and confusion shot through me. "How did you get this number?"

"Klaus." There was a lot of meaning behind that one word, and it brought me out of my groggy state faster than a cup of coffee. "That's what worries me," she continued. "Caroline, baby, are you...okay?"

"Yeah Mom, yeah, I'm fine. I just..." I turned on my side and sighed. I should have known Mom wouldn't just let it go. She was a cop. It was, like, against her biological makeup to let sleeping vampires lie. "Things are strange. I can't go into a lot of detail," I hurried to add, "and I can tell you I'm not compelled. You don't have to worry about that."

She snorted. "What do I have to worry about, then, besides my daughter hanging out with an immortal as dangerous as him? They haven't made a name for the kind of crazy Klaus is."

I rolled my eyes. "Tell me about it." Okay, maybe that wasn't exactly what I should have said, but I was enjoying this mother/daughter communing moment, despite all the extra stuff. "Klaus and I worked out a deal. He didn't hurt me. I don't think he wants to."

"Thinking and knowing are two different things." Her voice lowered. "Can you run again?"

I sat up, somber. "No, Mom, I don't think I can."

Silence. I guess we both needed a second to absorb the full meaning of that. It was a pretty heavy beat. I just listened to her breathe, grateful I got that much again.

When she spoke again, her voice was stronger, surer. "Alright. So what's the plan?"

I had to smile a little bit. I had to get my bossy planner nature from someone. "I'm going to take it one day at a time. Klaus and I have some issues to work out, but I have an idea of what I want to do and say. He'll listen." To my amazement, I sounded totally sure of that.

Mom? Not so much. "Do you know what you're doing?"

"As much as anybody can in my situation." I paused. "How are Bonnie and Elena?" I hadn't asked earlier. It seemed too sensitive of a subject to bring up in Klaus' hearing range.

"They're fine. Those Salvatore brothers keep finding trouble to get themselves in. A few werewolves moved into town, so the workload's doubled. Had to hire a few extra people." She took a deep breath. "Baby, I'm going to ask one more time, and I want you to be honest with me. Are you okay?"

Jesus. Something about that question, the way she asked knowing full well she might not like the answer, brought tears to my eyes. I squeezed them shut and concentrated on keeping my voice steady. "Yes, Mom. I'm alright. I promise."

She exhaled. "Okay." I could imagine her nodding. "Okay."

"Can I talk to you tomorrow?" I couldn't carry on a conversation without busting into tears, but I wanted to know that she'd be there if I needed her.

"I go on duty late, so I'm free in the morning."

"I'll call you. Skype."

"Alright."

Again there was silence. Neither one of us wanted to say goodbye. My hands were shaking with the effort of holding it in. I licked my lips. "I'll talk to you in a few hours, Mom."

"Okay, baby," she said softly. "Talk to you soon. I love you."

The burning behind my eyeballs got hotter. "I love you too. Night."

"Night."

I pushed the End button.

And then I cried.

 

To be continued...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Dedicated to Shadow_belle, my friend through thick and thin.
> 
> 2\. This is unbetaed.
> 
> 3\. Ella Fitzgerald/Louis Armstrong--They All Laughed
> 
> 4\. A special thank you to all who have reviewed!


	7. Chapter 7

It was good to cry. Freeing. The last two years weren't tearless, but this felt a lot different, like an anchor had been cut loose and I was drifting out to sea. I could either put up a sail, or let the water take me where it wanted.

I was going to sail.

It was the force of that decision that gave me the strength to be up early, showered and dressed when Klaus knocked on my door. I pulled it open without hesitating.

He took one look at my puffy cheeks and bit out a blunt, “Why?”

Trust Klaus not to politely ignore signs of crying. My chin went up. “Because I needed to.” I stepped back and opened the door wider. “Come on. I've got BLTs on the table and orange juice.”

He was instantly suspicious. “You made breakfast.”

“It's brunch,” I pointed out. “Are you coming in or not? My roommate will be back tonight and I want to get everything settled by then. Might as well eat while we do it.”

He looked down at the coffee and donuts he held, then back at me. His wary expression didn't change. “Somehow I did not expect this sort of reception, Caroline.” His gaze sharpened. “Anything you'd care to tell me?”

Step one: establish control. “Come in or not. Your choice.” I let go of the door but left it wide open when I turned on my heel. It was a risk, yeah, but part of me knew he wasn't going to pass up the chance to find out just what I was up to.

That's why I was always the bait. No matter where I went, Klaus followed.

xxxxx

She was up to something.

Of course, I was willing to admit that I had an over-developed sense of paranoia. A millenia of experience and all that.

The smell of bacon was strong in the apartment. Caroline had left the balcony door open to air the place out, and a wind was gently lifting the sheer curtain. The sun was strangely bright after the storm yesterday. I _had_ taken it as a positive sign. I saw then that I had let my happiness color my perception.

I quickly scanned my surroundings, looking for any indication that not all was as it seemed. It appeared the same as it had last night, however, and that left me with no alternative but to proceed.

I stepped over the threshold.

Caroline moved with the determined grace that I had long admired in her, her gray utilitarian long sleeves enticing despite the circumstances. It was something a lumberjack might have worn. A very sexy, curvaceous lumberjack with an ass a man would kiss the ground for.

I shook my head at my fanciful thoughts. I was very much a besotted fool in the depths of my mind. I had no issue with showing that side to Caroline from time to time, but one did not display such feelings for the general public and expect to remain in power for long. Love was a weakness. A horrifying, permanent target painted over one's heart. Should someone get a whiff of this particular ailment, the wolves would be crowding the doorstep.

I was prepared for that eventuality. The best way to protect this soft spot, my lady, was to have any number of contingency plans in place. It did not, however, relieve me of a terrible fury that kindled and grew in my heart when I thought of harm coming to Caroline.

I wonder at times if that was the reason I had entered that period of bloodlust two years ago. Lashing out in anger, yes, but also raging against my own helplessness. Without Caroline in my sight, far out of my reach, I could not protect her. In the few lucid moments of those months I was tormented by any number of scenarios.

Caroline reuniting with Tyler in some exotic locale.

A rogue werewolf deciding to sharpen his teeth on a fledgling vampire.

Caroline holding some faceless man.

A witch with a vampire vendetta.

Caroline forgetting her daylight ring.

Anything. Everything. Then the clarity would fade and I would return to building my formidable reputation to new heights. I lost myself to it. Reveled. Faded into hedonism with gratitude.

Caroline was now less than three feet from me. Hybrids had watched her apartment all night. I would keep her near. I would keep her alive.

I would simply...keep her.

It was that certainty that allowed me to confront a piece of self-deception.

I had lashed out in helplessness--because I could not make Caroline love me.

To know that I, the most powerful creature on the planet, could not tempt her, a fledgling (a vampire so new that she still existed in the same decade she had been _created)_ was bitterly galling. I railed against my impotence. I rejected the burning constriction in my chest and the twisting knot in my stomach. I sought to assuage it in any manner I deemed suitable.

I do not deal well with inadequacy. There is no weapon against it, no violence strong enough to deter it, no bottle deep enough to drown it. I was never enough for my father. For a thousand years my failures were narrated in his derisive voice. Caroline's voice was sweet and smoky, but no less devastating in its effect upon me.

“Klaus?”

I looked up, surprised to realize I had stopped walking. I stood in the middle of her living room, the bookcase of treasures on my right. I glanced at it. _Pride and Prejudice_ was tilted to the side, waiting to be read for perhaps the millionth time.

I shoved the box of donuts in front of it, then set the coffee down next to it for good measure. No matter what came, I wanted both of my hands free to deal with it.

I shut the door and followed Caroline with renewed purpose.

The plates were on the table, glasses placed beside a pitcher of water and carton of orange juice. The makings of the BLTs were readily available, awaiting my presence. It was all very civilised and ordinary.

I was immediately on my guard.

She indicated I sit and did the same, resolution evident in every line of her body. “I want to talk,” she declared.

I quirked a brow. “I hadn't realized.”

“Okay, Mr. Snarky, reign in the commentary. I thought really long and hard about this last night. You can't deny that we have a lot of stuff to work out.”

She began to put together her breakfast as she spoke. I watched her carefully before following suit, albeit at a more leisurely pace. Meat was a main source of sustenance before that fateful day a thousand years ago, so I appreciated the inclusion of a pork-related food. Vegetables, in my day, were what one ate when times were hard, when the animals had moved on and hunting fruitless. Their ability to sate did not negate the pleasure the bounty of meat brought.

I was merely uncertain as to why Caroline felt charitable enough to feed me. I was under the impression she was less than happy with me when I took my leave.

It wasn't until she took a bite that I did the same.

She made a little sound of pleasure as she chewed, swallowing a bit too quickly so that she could continue our 'talk'. “I'm ready to start new.”

I stifled my burst of pleasure. All it took was a glance at her swollen cheeks. “Is that so?” I asked coolly. “And how did you arrive at that decision?”

“It wasn't easy.” She poured herself water. “I mean, come on, you're you and I'm me. This isn't something I was mentally prepared for.” She took a drink. “But if we do this right, it might be good.”

“What constitutes right?”

“Rules.”

I thought as much. “It's too late for conditions, my love. The game is mine.”

Her gaze zeroed in on me. “It's not a game,” she said flatly. “It's my life and our future. So have the decency to hear me out.”

I lowered my chin, staring at her hard. I did not react to her use of 'our'. “What do you want, Caroline?”

“I meant what I said about not sleeping with you. I'm not even used to the idea of being in the same room as you, much less sex. Not that I'm not willing to be with you,” she added quickly, perhaps noting my darkening disposition. “I'm just not ready for the hot and heavy stuff yet. So let's take it slow and play it by ear. Alright?”

Not an entirely unexpected demand. She had said as much previously. Agreeing did not preclude my ability or agency to convince her otherwise. “I reserve the right to beguile you.”

“But not pressure,” she tossed back. “Don't be that guy.”

I favored her with a wicked smile. “Darling, there is certainly no fear of that.”

She rolled her eyes. “Do you agree or not?”

I sighed. “Agreed.” I poured my own glass of water. It certainly wasn't coffee, but I was unwilling to leave the table and her presence to fetch the cup in the living room. “Next?”

“I want to be treated like a lady.”

I paused. “Was there any doubt of that?”

“I mean I don't want to be your possession. I want to be more than your—I don't know. Thing.”

“Caroline,” I said slowly. “Are you laboring under the idea that I view you as an object?”

She didn't flinch at my tone. “You tell me.”

My jaw worked. “Did I not state just last night that you have power in this courtship?”

“You can't deny that you have a habit of making unilateral decisions and expecting other people to just follow what you say. I'm not a hybrid, I'm not sired to you, and I'm not your slave. I am your--” she hesitated. “Your girlfriend.”

There was a beat of silence as that word fell between us. It was such an inadequate title for what this girl was to me, yet I had no better substitute for her then. None that she wanted to hear, at any rate.

“So you have to talk to me,” she rushed on. “Treat me like the other half of a relationship. That means maybe giving up a little bit of ground when you don't want to. I'll have to do the same. I'm in it to win it, and that means communicating and making mutual decisions that benefit us.”

Ah. The modern American ideal. Honesty and communication.

“The question is, can you do that?”

Can? Certainly. Wanted to? That depended on the circumstances.

That would not appease Caroline, cultivated in the society I found myself in. I did not disparage her idea, per se. There was a lot of sense in the concept. If Caroline encountered a difficulty, I wanted to know about it. She was not, however, quite ready to handle the weight of the decisions I was forced to make from time to time. Truth be told, I did not want her to be touched by that part of my life. It was not necessary for her to know the bloody details of my less than savory transactions. I was determined to keep her untouched  by the ugliness.

Did that conflict with my desire for her acceptance? Perhaps, but the point was moot. I would not allow Caroline to be dirtied. So I smiled and answered honestly, “Yes.”

She absorbed that, nodding to herself as if I had inadvertently also answered another, unspoken question. She looked at the table, her half eaten breakfast left forgotten. She had been so intent on her litany that she had not realized how much she had consumed in a short amount of time. I was pleasantly surprised by that part of her personality. It seemed Caroline ate when she was nervous.

This morning had not gone quite the way I had anticipated, yet I could not call it a disappointment. Caroline had confronted me with that bravery I had long admired in her. This was her attempt to assert herself. I had not realized how much I had missed observing her strength. It was not in her to wilt away like a delicate flower. A worthy mate.

There was several minutes of silence. Caroline glanced from the table to me, then back, her hands on the surface. I watched her fingers flex against the wood, the knuckles fading from white to peach to white again. She was nervous. Now what else could possibly be going through that agile mind?

She took a sip of water and swished it in her mouth, eying me all the while. “Caroline,” I said patiently, “what are you doing?”

She swallowed, setting the glass down with no small amount of determination. “Getting ready.”

Quite the cryptic answer. Here I thought we had reached some level of understanding.

Her lips puckered adorably, Caroline visibly wrestled with an internal decision. She was not as adept at her poker face as I, and whatever was running through her mind gave her considerable pause. The water had no vervain, the BLT was surprisingly delicious, and thus far Caroline had conducted herself in her usual point-blank manner.

I leaned back and crossed my arms. I saw little harm in waiting her out, and prepared myself to be entertained. “For what, my love, are you readying?”

She gnawed on her lower lip. A crime in itself. “Look, just sit there. Don't move.” She stood with a scrape of her chair.

“You'll have to do better than that, love.” I canted my head.

She walked around the table. “Just trust me okay?”

I hummed.

She hesitated, her eyes narrowing. “Listen, you're asking me to trust you despite everything. Are you seriously going to make that a one way street?” She planted her little hands on her hips, delivering a warning look of such ferocity that I was mildly taken aback.

Did I trust Caroline? Not entirely. Perhaps it was better to say that I trusted her up until the point she betrayed me again.

My silence was not met passively. “Do you know what your problem is? You expect me to do all the compromising. That's not happening here, buddy. If you want this to work, you meet me halfway or we might as well just give up before we even start.” She glared.

“You're very free with your orders.” Not a situation I found amusing at all.

“It's not up for discussion,” she shot back. “We are partners or we're nothing.”

Oh, I could think of a thousand different variations of what we were. Of what we could be. Most of which would make beauteous Caroline pale with dread. Should I tell her? Describe how lovely I found the thought of being her master? How enticing the idea of her well-being entrusted solely to me was?

No, I decided. The first would be my little secret. The second...simply understood. An undercurrent of truth in our relationship, one might say. Caroline _did_ belong to me. I would protect her by any means necessary, in any method I pleased. Trust had little to nothing to do with it.

I recognized the moment as my Rubicon. Whatever point I chose to cross at would affect my path from then on. I could either put my faith in Caroline's hands and trust her not to break it again. Or I could keep my heart right where it was, in my chest, protected.

Untouched.

I searched her face. She was immoveable, resolute in her decision. She was prepared to meet me in the middle. Was I willing to do the same?

My lips parted. “What,” I asked solemnly, “do you want me to do?”

For a second she was unmoving, watching me as if she expected me to take it back. That was no surprise. What _was_ surprising was my own reaction. A piece of ice centered itself in my breast. Was I that worthless in her eyes? That dishonorable?

A reflexive sneer nearly curled my lip—and then she smiled tentatively, a breathy sigh of relief escaping filling the air. She looked...happy. “Okay.”

The ice dispersed, leaving me strangely bereft.

It was then that it struck me how habitual my reaction had been. In the wake of that realization came the knowledge that Caroline was right. We needed to move on, truly begin again. To do otherwise was to be caught in a cycle that was comfortable but damaging.

In that millisecond of time I saw what it was to have Caroline approve of me. To be pleased with me. I wanted that. I craved it.

Temporarily overwhelmed by the power of that desire, I stared unblinking as she positioned herself in front of my chair. She looked down at me with a wary warmth I was instantly addicted to, licking her lips nervously. “Don't move,” she ordered. “Don't take this for more than it is. If you so much as twitch, this is done, got it?”

She did not wait for an answer but reached out to cup my face in her hands. I was frozen, unwilling to believe the suspicion that had begun to take hold. Her skin was so soft, so gentle. I could smell her citrus lotion with each breath, not daring to move. Caroline tilted my head up just so.

She bent.

And kissed me.

 _Thumthump_. I was glued to my seat, stilled by my astonishment, my incredulity, staring at blond curls with wide open eyes. Her nose pressed against my cheek. For a moment I heard nothing but my own heartbeat. Then the sensations hit.

Petal soft lips, firm and confident against my own. I had never credited the power of a mouth before, but she held me helpless with hers. Her scent drifted up. She teased the rasp of beard on my cheeks, her fingers caressing my visage soothingly. It was as if she was attempting to calm me.

She failed. I was consumed. Lost. I felt it in every part of me.

How long did it last? I have no idea. Not long enough to close my eyes. Long enough to change everything.

She broke the kiss with another stroke on my face, pulling back to stand but maintaining contact. Her cheeks were flushed a pretty pink, her mouth tinged with evidence of its recent antics. She bit her bottom lip, smug and shy at the same time.

Caroline had kissed me. It was short, it was sweet, but it had happened.

Happiness crashed over me so quickly I was unprepared. It pushed all the air from my lungs. I was drowning in it.

It was terrifying and freeing all at once.

Her blush heightened. She cleared her throat awkwardly and nearly moved away.

I seized her wrists, unwilling to let her go. She had come to me, damn her, and now she was caught.

Everything was different. I could not fully articulate the extent, as it had yet to completely manifest itself in my conscious mind. That would come another day. At that moment I let myself drink her in, burrowing my face in her warmth. My hands spread to cover hers, memorizing their size and shape.

She gazed down at me, lips parted, watching me as closely as she could. Was she aware of how delicious she looked to me? I doubted it. Even I could not put the feeling in my chest into words. I only knew two things with absolute certainty.

Caroline Forbes was my lady.

That would not be our last kiss.

xxxxx

I thought I knew what 'Intense Klaus' looked like.

I was wrong.

Kissing him had taken a lot of courage. It was a scary step. Basically I was acknowledging the change in our relationship. Taking it to the next level. It was important that I show where I stood. Then there was that stupid second where I thought it was all going to go horribly wrong before it really began and I nearly lost my gumption.

But he surprised me, and it was about an important issue on top of that. More than a little awesome, it gave me real hope for the first time.

The kiss was...well, a lot of things. Scary. Weird. Thrilling. Nice. Really, really nice.

I didn't know that he smelled good. Like, his skin—natural, no holds barred hybrid Klaus. His mouth was just the right shape for mine. Mouths were all kinds of shapes and widths, usually proportionate to how tall a guy was. Don't ask me why that was. It was just my experience.

Klaus was taller than me, but he wasn't treetop tall. His mouth had been warm and pliant, melting into mine like it belonged there.

Hence the scary.

Weird because it was Klaus, and I'd never thought the day would come when I would willingly initiate a kiss.

Thrilling because he was the second-oldest guy on earth. There's a lot of power in that.

And now I was the object of a look so possessive and hot that it amped the pleasant hum of my blood up a thousand degrees. My mouth went dry. That conversation about collars came rushing back. My sense of power shrunk back, reminding me that I was a lot younger and weaker than this man. There was a lot he could do to me, and it was only on his say so that I could feel safe.

He turned his head without breaking eye contact and pressed a kiss to my palm, way too close to my wrist. My skin started to feel prickly. Was he smelling me? I tried to draw back, but he stopped me again, eyes flashing in light warning.

Okay then. If a close-mouthed kiss could make him act like this, how was he going to react when we had sex?

 _If_. _If_ we had sex.

Oh man. I was in deep, deep trouble. I inhaled. “Klaus, you have to let me go.”

“No.”

No hesitation. No negotiation. I licked my lips again and forced myself to be light when I said, “We can't stand here all day.”

His finger stroked mine. “Then what shall we do, my love?” Deep and throaty.

Heat flashed in parts better not mentioned. Whoa mama. Time to put the brakes on, stat. “We can...” What? I wracked my brain. “Eat the donuts you brought? Finish the cake from yesterday?” An idea. “Plan a date?”

His finger paused in its stroking. “A date.”

“Yeah.” I tentatively moved my thumb, tracing the line of his cheekbone. We were so close. If he turned even a little, I would be standing between his legs instead of beside him. “You did say this was a courtship, right? So, you know, court me.”

Klaus smiled big. The heat of his gaze changed; I could tell he still wanted me, but he was warm at the idea of a social occasion that didn't involve blackmail or the Salvatores planning something sneaky. “Caroline Forbes, would you do me the honor of accompanying me to the park this evening?”

I frowned slightly. “The park?” Not dinner? No jet to Paris?

“There is a tea shop at the end of the rose garden. Have you ever smelled roses after the rain?”

I was intrigued. “No.”

“Then come with me.”

I tilted my head, considering. “That sounds a lot more ordinary than what I expected.”

He let go of one of my hands but not the other. It was like he just wanted to keep touching me. He wasn't so intense now, but not for a second did I think I'd seen the last of that expression. Klaus was not that kind of guy. “There is nothing ordinary about me, Caroline.”

No truer statement had ever been uttered.

 

**To be continued...**


	8. Chapter 8

Sometimes you just know things. Nobody has to spell it out for you. Basic animal instinct allows a person to assimilate unconscious signals and put it together in a picture anybody could read. 

I knew dating Klaus would be a lot like dating a mob boss. Not something I ever wanted to do, but there I was, in his SUV, being driven around by two hybrids. Klaus sat beside me in the backseat, absolutely comfortable with their presence. He was even holding my hand in the space between us. He'd helped me into the car like a gentleman, and now we were headed off to a romantic date underneath a sky that looked like a blanket of blue. 

It sounded too ideal to be true, and in a way it was. Klaus was no fluffy bunny. More like a saber-toothed tiger content to lick its paw for the time being. You could never really forget how dangerous he could be. 

Except that I sometimes did. More than once in the past I got too comfortable with the facade he presented me, occasionally with deadly consequences. He was capable of horrifying acts. When I kissed him in my kitchen, I was also trying to prove that I was strong enough to handle that part of him too. Not that I wanted him to go around ripping people to pieces or causing mayhem. I just wanted to say that this time I had my eyes wide open. No forgetting, no rose-colored glasses. I was now with a very dangerous person. A dangerous person who made me a promise that I had to believe he'd keep.

He'd broken his word before, when circumstances suited him. If I didn't want another person to die, I had to make sure the circumstances don't change. 

He was right, though. I did have power. His reaction to the kiss proved that. He wanted me enough to chase me for two years and make a bargain. More than that, Klaus loved me. 

It was a dark and twisted emotion coming from him, but it wasn't without its pure, happy points either. He would take me anywhere in the world if I asked. He would dig up treasures and introduce me to cultures I had only read about. He would even just remember my birthday without having to be reminded and buy me a one-of-a-kind treat. 

All I would have to do was be with him. 

I wanted to believe I was strong enough to handle what that meant. 

“You're awfully quiet.”

I turned my head from the window and found him watching me intently. I just smiled a little, not wanting to get into another discussion so soon. For a little while I just wanted to turn my brain off and enjoy the moment. 

His eyes dropped to my lips, and the heat in his eyes sharpened. He was thinking about the kiss, I realized, a blush climbing on my cheeks. I felt like a total idiot for being embarrassed, but come on—what girl could really be on the other end of that look and not be affected? I'm a vampire, not brain dead. 

I bit my lip and stared at anything but him, focusing on the back of the headrest in front of me.

Klaus made a little sound of amusement and squeezed my hand. 

Then he lifted it to his lips and kissed my knuckles. 

My pulse jumped. There was suddenly not enough space in the car. The air felt thick and heavy all around me. Where was the park, again? Longest car ride ever. 

I almost melted in relief when we eased out of traffic and pulled up to a curb. The park was still a walk off, but not so far that I couldn't see the hedged entrance. There were quite a few people, everybody out to enjoy the crisp sunshine despite the cooler weather. I was only wearing my gray long sleeves and a denim jacket with my dark wash jeans. I hadn't dressed up. I hadn't had time, actually. Klaus had decided evening was too far away and pulled me out of the apartment a few minutes after he made the suggestion. 

He sure didn't waste any time.

He opened the door and slid out of the car, holding a hand out for me. I scooted over and, unlike last time, took him up on his offer. When I was standing next to him on the pavement he leaned over and said a few words to the hybrid driving. I never bothered to learn their names, and I didn't bother to listen to what Klaus had to say now. I was busy looking at the food stalls in front of the park entrance. The smell of roasted, sugared nuts was strong. Mmm, almonds. 

Klaus came to stand beside me and picked up my hand again, the SUV pulling away to slide back into traffic. “They aren't sticking around?”

“They'll come if I call. I can rely on my own skills for a few hours.” He began to walk, stroll really, towards the archway. 

I was content to follow. “Isn't it a little late for roses?”

“They'll have some life left in them yet. Don't worry; I will make good on my promise.” From the significant glance he cast my way, I knew he was referring to more than the date. 

So he'd known what I was thinking about it. Fair enough. He'd always been able to see through me. I was only bait that many times because he wanted me to be. “You'd better,” I let myself tease. “I have my heart set on it now.”

“Do you,” he murmured. “The stakes are high indeed.”

We turned a corner, and there it was, the rose garden. It was beautiful. Different shades of yellow, red, and pink mingled in the green. Once we got past the archway the smell really took over. I think pungent is the word. It smelled like grass and rose and dirt and rain, the combination nothing I'd ever really experienced before. “Oh,” I sighed, “that's so pretty.” I closed my eyes and inhaled. “How did you know this was here?”

“I make it my business to learn new neighborhoods. One never knows what gems lay hidden in the chaos.” 

“This was definitely worth the trip.” I opened my eyes again and looked up at him, smiling in approval. “Thanks for bringing me.”

He didn't smile, but I think he wanted to. “Thank you for coming,” he replied formally. “Come along; there's more to see.”

There was. Miles of roses formed all kinds of interesting shapes and nooks here. Somebody had spent a lot of time designing and cultivating this place. We walked for a little while, strolling in silence. There were a lot of people out. Families and couples, even a few photogs trying to capture the different varieties Klaus told me were there. I couldn't tell one flower from the other. To tell the truth I wasn't sure I wanted to learn, but I liked listening to Klaus talk about them. I really shouldn't have been surprised he knew something about the subject. He seemed to know a little of everything. I guess when you have nothing but time, you learn a thing or two along the way. 

He held my hand the entire time, but at one point he wrapped it around the crook of his arm. Old school. Literally. 

He looked relaxed, kind of like the boyish version of him I saw on our date when he read my Miss Mystic Falls application. I never did figure out how he got that. 

“Does this look anything like the gardens in Europe?”

 

“Surprisingly, yes. The landscaper must have spent a lot of time studying his predecessors. It's refreshingly traditional.”

“You know, I've always gotten the impression that you're a guy who likes modern stuff.”

He patted my hand, and I became aware of his biceps flexing beneath my fingers. He was no Buff McBufferson, but Klaus had the tight, wiry build of a swimmer. He could pound most beefcakes into the ground with barely any effort anyway. “Does loving one mean I cannot appreciate the other?”

“No,” I allowed, “but finding traditionalism 'refreshing' does spell out a certain—I don't know—dissatisfaction?”

“I admire progress. I certainly don't long for outdoor plumbing and fear of bathing. Yet some things are beautiful just as they are.” He winked at me. “I'll never be a fan of modern art, for example.”

“You're kidding.”

“Too jagged and nonsensical for my taste. Paintings of a soup can? I could draw that with my feet.”

“Whoa, a little full of ourselves there, are we?”

 

“I merely wish to point out that it has no life. No spirit or soul or beauty. It represents nothing more than a soup can.”

I'm no fan of modern art myself, but I feel compelled not to let him have his way. “Some people really go for that.”

“Do you?”

Damn. End of that discussion. “No.” 

“What does the comely former Miss Mystic Falls appreciate in art, then?”

I wrinkled my nose. “Not a fan of Picasso. Not really an Impressionist. Don't like the one with the person screaming--”

He chuckled. 

“I like colors,” I finished. “Really bold colors, like the blue we've got right now. I used to really like the pictures in art history class when we were talking about the Middle Ages. Some were gorgeous, but the people looked so...depressed.”

He nodded. “It could be depressing at times. Fear of God's wrath and all that. It was all very literal.”

“What about you?” Did he ever believe in organized religion? It's not like he would have had much room for other ideas. People live the life they're handed, even if they are immortal. 

“I was very much a man of the times, though I cannot say that I was as likely to attribute each natural disaster to a higher power. One learns to differentiate between the supernatural and an unfortunate chain of events,” he finished with an offhand wave before pointing ahead. “There is the tea shop, love.”

I looked over in surprise. Did we walk through the entire park already? 

Sure enough, we had. Across a path that cut in front of our own was a building covered in vines. It had a terrace and an awning on one side, with little bistro tables and chairs underneath. It looked very Mediterranean. “Another one of those gems you discovered?”

“Never underestimate the charms of being a tourist in your own town, Caroline.”

We walked over. In no time at all we were sitting under the awning, and Klaus was ordering tiramasu for me and a piece of cake for him. I arched a brow at his assumption. “I may have wanted something else.”

“True,” he admitted, totally unperturbed. “Allow me the pleasure of presuming this once.”

Ha. “You've presumed a lot more than once.”

“And yet here we are, having a lovely time on a sun dappled patio, surrounded by fragrant roses.”

“Just because you got it right today doesn't mean you always will.” I pointed from my chest to his. “Equal partners, _comprende_?”

“ _Sí, mi amor_.”

Figured. I could see he was laughing at me, but this one time I wasn't going to take offense. “Don't think we won't talk about this if it happens again,”I warn mildly. 

His eyes were creased with crows feet of humor. “I look forward to it.”

A few minutes later our treats arrived. 

So that was a cake fork. Huh. People come up with the strangest things. 

I looked and caught Klaus staring out over the distance, his eyes seeing but not seeing. 

“You know what's weird,” I said suddenly.

His gaze slid over to me, brow quirked with speaking amusement. Okay, yes, starting a sentence like that probably would throw some grammar Nazis into a hissy fit, but I like to keep people on their toes with incomplete rhetorical 'questions'. 

I leaned forward to rest my forearms on the bistro table, studying him intently. “Sometimes I get the impression that when you're looking at something, you're seeing...” _How to describe it?_ “...multiple levels at the same time. Like, what it is now, then what it was twenty years ago, then what it was--”

I glanced over my shoulder. Nobody was around us, but I still finished in a whisper, “A hundred years ago.”

Klaus smiled just a little. “You're not wrong. It's difficult to separate so many years of memory.” He shrugged. “Do you never remark, 'remember when that was a field and not a Dairy Queen?'?” 

I laughed. “I don't know if that's the same thing.”

“The two are not unrelated. It began like that for me. A building appearing here, a few trees disappearing there. Change is gradual but unrelenting. Before you know it a town's grown, been taken by the plague, and then somehow managed to turn itself into a resort for the rich and famous.”

I tilted my head. “Is that any town in particular?”

His smile grew. “None you've ever heard of, my love, but your time will come.” He turned his attention back to the path, where people walked by doing their own thing. “As a vampire you'll be more aware of time marching along, wreaking its affect on everything save you.” 

“Doesn't that depress you?” I thought back to my eighteenth birthday and then to our one strange 'date'. “I know you said you thought about being human. And I think the thought of dying has occurred to you at least once. Doesn't it ever become too much?”

He didn't look at me, but I could tell he was seriously pondering the question. That was the thing about Klaus; for every time he had a flip answer for me, there was an equal number of times he really listened to what I had to say. 

Not that he did that exactly what I wanted him to. Sometimes he chose the dumbest moments to get all psychoanalytical on me. In general, though? Klaus paid attention. 

It was one of the nice things about him. I'd have to write that down. _List of Things Klaus is Good At When He's Not Trying to Kill People and Take Over the World._ Yeah. I'd pin it to the cork board in my room and look at it when I needed reminding. 

“A key component of change, Caroline, is the concept of 'new'. Every day there is a tweaking in the fabric of what we know, and it becomes novel again. There is _always _something to interest us. Something to look forward to, even if it's just to distract us until something truly captivating comes along.”__

__I blinked. I wanted to ask what constituted 'truly captivating' but I had a feeling I already knew what that was. Klaus wasn't exactly subtle. “Have you ever been here before?”_ _

__“No. We are, for all intents and purposes, seeing it for the first time together.” He angled his head. “Rather romantic for a first date, don't you think?”_ _

__My brows arched. “Technically it's our third date.”_ _

__“Would that it were true,” he replied. “However I find that I don't care to think of those as dates.” He licked his lips. “More like a practice for the real thing.”_ _

__The real thing. No take backs. No get-out-of-jail-free card. Nothing I didn't already know. So I smiled and started to eat my tiramisu. It's fantastic, of course, which is just another small mark against his smug Original self. I shook my head. Sometimes I really hated how often Klaus was right._ _

__Cake at home, donuts that morning, tiramasu at lunch. “Feeding me sweet stuff all the time is going to backfire,” I told him between bites._ _

__“Is that a hint that I should take you out for a wholesome meal?”_ _

__Well, I walked right into that one. “Maybe. Nothing too fancy. No place we have to dress up. We can save the formal occasions for further down the road.”_ _

__There I went, talking about a future together. It even sounded a little natural. I was getting used to the idea, apparently. I was happy about that—second guessing everything at this point would have been useless._ _

__“I will endeavor to apply my considerable resources to the task.”_ _

__“Psychic witch powers?”_ _

__He shrugged one shoulder. “Or Google Maps.”_ _

__For some reason that made me laugh, breaking a little of the tension I didn't know was still riding me. When that dispelled the small hope that had appeared after our kiss grew. Every moment I spent in his company when he was pleasant like this reminded me of the possibilities, the positive ones, the ones where we could be content and comfortable together._ _

__I wanted those. If not for my sake, than for ours, because eternity is a long, long time._ _

__xxxxx_ _

__Caroline was significantly more at ease following our little interlude at the tea shop. Her face was more open, her laughter freer, and I found myself devouring every expression she let me see._ _

__It was all so very innocent and chaste. I had deliberately engineered the circumstances to be so._ _

__I sent my hybrids away so as to remove the pressure of an audience, though Caroline had no way of knowing they watched over us even now. I refused to let my guard down completely. Her safety was paramount, but fortunately there were ways around the obvious._ _

__I chose an idyllic spot, square in the public eye, yet romantic enough to seduce Caroline's senses. I plied her with delicious food and good conversation. I seized upon the chance for another date the moment it presented itself, and she didn't balk._ _

__Normal. Unremarkable. Enjoyable._ _

__Sweet torture._ _

__Every time she laughed, I wanted to bury my hands in her hair and hold her to me. Her smile reminded me of our kiss, every fleeting sensation magnified. I was very much a wolf in sheep's clothing, encouraging a feeling of security in my presence while planning her downfall all the while._ _

__I was in no hurry, of course. Let Caroline feel comfortable with me. I wanted her to rely upon my strength and my presence more than ever before. She did, once, in rare moments when she forgot to raise her guard against me. What time severed, I would rebuild, and this time it would be too strong of a bond to break._ _

__White hot longing threatened to overtake me at one point, when she made joke with a stray bit of cream on her lip. I hid it behind a practiced smile._ _

__She knew I wanted her. I have never made that any secret. Yet I recognized the concessions that had already been made that day, and I resolved to push no further for the time being._ _

__Tomorrow, however, would be different._ _

__And the day after that._ _

__And the day after that, until I chipped away at the armor she no doubt still harbored beneath her acceptance. I know Caroline. She would do what she believed to be the right thing and set aside her own inhibitions for the cause. That is not true surrender, and nothing less than such would satisfy me._ _

__Caroline is no empty-headed beauty queen. I had no doubt she sensed my regard on more than one occasion yet, for reasons of her own, chose to ignore it. There was a moment of silence that went on too long, made awkward by my staring._ _

__I decided to turn her attention. “Have you given any thought to university, Caroline?”_ _

__She blinked at me. We were finished with our treats, sitting and enjoying the sunshine for a few moments more. “College? Some.”_ _

__“Any particular one that holds your interest?”_ _

__“I haven't really looked,” she admitted, setting her spoon down. “I was doing a lot of traveling and then I got caught up in other stuff.”_ _

__I nodded. “Perhaps now that we have set our...differences aside, you might want to look into it.” I cocked my head. “Unless you've decided to wait a few years.”_ _

__A light sparked in her eye, an excitement she couldn't quite quell. The idea pleased her, which pleased me. Caroline was meant for greater things. She was smart; it would not do to let that intelligence go to waste._ _

__Of course, a degree was not proof of her agile mind. It was, however, an important rite of passage in the lives of her contemporaries. I would encourage her to take it, not only in genuine desire to see her flourish, but as one more strategic brick in the foundation of my plan. Whatever she told herself, this courtship was going to lead to something permanent. I wanted her to experience all the pleasures in life at my side. This was merely the first step._ _

__Her leg began to jiggle with anticipation beneath the table, belying her composed expression. “You know, I didn't think of that.”_ _

__I signaled the server for the check. “Do. You'll be great. If you'd like, we can look at a few choices together once you've done your research.”_ _

__“Really?” Some of her enthusiasm suddenly dimmed. “I don't think I have enough money.”_ _

__I smiled at the woman when she handed me the small black folder, pulling out my wallet. “There are scholarships. Government grants. One merely has to know where to look.” I added a generous tip to the total and hand the folder back. The woman bid us have a very good day, clearly thrilled at her good fortune._ _

__I stood and pulled out Caroline's chair, leaning over to speak in her ear. “And if there is a discrepancy in the totals, I'm certain one of my foundations would be happy to sponsor a bright young woman such as yourself.”_ _

__She stayed where she was and gaped up at me. What a delicious picture. “You have foundations?”_ _

__“A few philanthropic endeavors I started ages ago, mostly to support the arts.” I held out my hand, which she accepted with a sort of dazed expression. “Have you given any thought to art as a major? You do have an eye for it.”_ _

__The conversation was off at a gallop from there. It continued well after I rang for a pick up, though our two bodyguards were already on their way by then. Wouldn't do to let Caroline see how closely we were observed. We climbed in and the talk raced on, Caroline's natural light quickly taking over. She had a thousand ideas to consider, and it seemed now that a real possibility had presented itself she wanted to get started right away._ _

__She did not even realize she had invited me into her apartment until it was too late. I saw the moment of hesitation, that pause as she stood in the doorway of her room, her hand on the handle. She looked over her shoulder at me, eyes strict. “Don't take this the wrong way, okay? I'm just showing you my mixed media.”_ _

__I smiled benignly. “Wouldn't dream of it, love.”_ _

__Dream? No. Fantasize in explicit detail? Oh yes._ _

__Make reality soon?_ _

__There are no words for such surety._ _

__Caroline did not appear to entirely believe me, but she stepped aside all the same._ _

__Her room was a feminine, delightful mix of dark woods and accessories. She had a sturdy sleigh bed—no creaking with extreme movement—and matching night stand and chest of drawers. Simple, yet emphasized with the plethora of knick knacks and mementos artfully displayed. There were shadow boxes, a pin board, lanterns and photos. Each one told a very organized story of Caroline's travels._ _

__I crossed the threshold._ _

__She stood in the center of the room, slightly uncomfortable. “Why don't you sit in the chair and I'll get the scrapbooks.” She rushed into the closet._ _

__I looked at the chair, which sat before a large, worn desk strewn with paraphernalia. It was squeezed into a corner with barely any room to spare. I honestly did not know how she managed to maneuver it through the door. Vampire strength was one thing. Simple physics and geometry another._ _

__I heard her rummage and considered the solitary seat available to me. If I sat, there would be nowhere for Caroline to go except the bed._ _

__How tempting._ _

__Ah, but no more pushing for the day, I reminded myself with a smirk. One must have a sense of timing in these things._ _

__When she emerged from the closet with books in hand, she found me perched against the desk's surface, holding the chair for her. “Ladies first.”_ _

__She glanced from me to it, but said nothing. She sat._ _

__It was gratifying on a level she could not begin to guess. “Show me,” I prompt._ _

__She nodded and opened the first scrapbook. It was a simple notebook, well worn and stuffed to the brim with whatever Caroline had discovered on her journey. I knew without asking that this was where it all began._ _

__It was fascinating what Caroline had built for herself. I had heard some of the stories before, but it was quiet another situation to have visual accompaniment. She would not allow me to read the journal entries, preferring instead to reference how her style had evolved, but she could not stop me from glimpsing. I saw evidence of loneliness and fear. Even her photos from the period were devoid of Caroline herself._ _

__Gradually the entries grew more encompassing, and Caroline apparently fell in with a group of travelers. She began to appear in photos, not always facing the camera. I watched in fascination as her expressions became more open with the passing of time._ _

__When the second book opened, I began to study her more than her work. She was talented, that much was certain, and I had no doubt she would be accepted into any program she wished. I felt a curious sense of pride on her behalf. The teenage girl I had met had blossomed into a young woman._ _

__I found the transformation intriguing. More than that, I found it heady._ _

__Caroline was strong. Stronger than she knew._ _

__More desirable than she could ever imagine._ _

__My hand raised of its own accord, cupping the back of her neck. She stuttered to a stop, looking up at me with wide, beautiful eyes._ _

__I did not announce my intention—I merely followed through, leaning down and covering her mouth with mine._ _

__I did not miss the ironic reversal in our positions, but this time it was not declaration._ _

__It was affirmation._ _

__I stroked her mouth with mine at a slow, even, languorous pace. The citrus scent of her mixed with the electric heat that rose between us was drugging. I rejoiced in my right to have this, have her. When she pressed back with a breathy sigh, I advanced, turning this way and that, exploring every corner I could reach._ _

__She rose from the chair and leaned in, eyes closed, grabbing my shirt for balance._ _

__I broke the kiss with a gasp, dangerously close to taking this too far, too soon._ _

__She made a startled sound, befuddled by the loss of me. “Whaa...?”_ _

__I chuckled, both at myself and the situation. “You are much too tempting for me, my love,” I told her, pressing our foreheads together. “Wouldn't want to jump the gun, now would we?”_ _

__Reality was creeping in. I could see it in her widening eyes, her little intake of breath. Caroline Forbes had allowed Klaus Mikelson to kiss her. Even better, she had kissed him back._ _

__Victory._ _

__I kissed her again. And again. Quick, possessive kisses that made her more adorably confused than before. “I'm leaving,” I told her between kisses. “Lock the door behind me.”_ _

__“You...I...”_ _

__“Shh.” Another kiss. “If you talk I might decide that staying is the better option.”_ _

__She grabbed me during the last kiss, throwing her arms around my neck and turning on me with the passion of a courtesan, taking my lips expertly and leaving me reeling when she suddenly released me. Suddenly it was I blinking at her._ _

__She smirked, breathing hard. “Go then,” she said. “If you're so anxious.”_ _

__I laughed. “Oh Caroline. If you only knew.”_ _

__I left then, promising myself that retribution for her sexy parley would be sweet._ _

__And holding Caroline's original scrapbook._ _

__One must use the resources one has at hand, after all._ _

__**To Be Continued** _ _

__

__Author's Note:_ _

___1\. To Sara, Happy Early Birthday! May this year be more amazing than the last.  
2\. To my readers: I am grateful for each of you. Some have messaged me about updates. I intend to update once a month until completion; however there are times inspiration might be with me, so an additional update might be possible. Plan on once a month for certain.   
3\. Reviews inspire me!_


	9. Chapter 9

When I arrived in my new city, I did so with more intention than firm planning. With no idea how long I would be staying, a hotel simply would not do. The apartment I installed myself was better suited to my purposes. It was no showpiece, but it did have a very interesting perk. 

A large, extravagant bed. 

I lounged in aforementioned bed, stripped down to the bare essentials of clothing, my back to the headboard and a glass of wine resting on the nightstand. No hard spirits tonight. The sort of nighttime reading I planned to indulge in was meant to be savored. My choice of alcohol should be no different. 

The lamp cast more than sufficient light on the scrapbook propped on one upraised knee. I leaned on the pillow wedged under my arm, inspecting each and every entry with avid zeal. I did not rush. These pages were a crystal clear window into Caroline's mind, something she created in her most unguarded moments. This was my lady, naked and stripped of all her defenses. 

As I read the first few pages, I found myself remembering those days with painful clarity. I stood on the train platform and watched her sail by, her face pale and startled in the window. Never once did I believe she was permanently lost to me. No, to me, Caroline had only temporarily misplaced herself, a vexing notion that required immediate correction. 

The bitter amusement at her antics tempered my anger somewhat. I had come to expect the unexpected from Caroline Forbes. Part of what initially drew me was her inexplicable reactions to situations. Where I expected hysterics, she displayed composure. When I anticipated anger, she blasted me with cold regard. It was...startling. In those dim moments of what was to be the end of her life that fateful birthday, she did not beg. She glared. 

Once upon a time women were chattel, yes, but the harshness of life required a fortitude that has become more and more of a specter in these modern times. Death is delayed, even a surprise. So unlike the time in which I was born, where death was a daily companion. 

Caroline's strength intrigued me. Time did the rest. 

When I discovered her plan and rushed to stop her, I was not surprised by her escape. I was merely taken aback by her ability to slip by my measures. 

Clever Caroline.

But one day bled into the next, and then the next, then a week. Amusement turned to ash in the face of my growing concern, which morphed into rage. Where was she? How could she have disappeared off the face of the Earth in this age of computers and electronic tracking? Caroline was only eighteen—she had never had to fend for herself without a support system. Tortuous images began to dog me. Amazing how many terrible events one can imagine in the dead of the night. 

While Caroline was alone and afraid, so was I. 

When she began to find her equilibrium, I was teetering on the edge. 

When she found the first bloom of confidence, I feel into the abyss. 

Her writing became more fluid and balanced, well considered and expressed. Frankly I wasn't entirely certain what I was doing by then. Or perhaps I was and merely didn't care to think on it. 

It really didn't matter. What mattered was the here and now. Still, I had a valuable tool at my fingertips. One cannot ignore the power of a first hand account. The unwashed, unvarnished truth told in Caroline's own words.

When my mobile vibrated some hours into my reading, I took a quick sip of my wine before answering. The number looked vaguely familiar, which meanst nothing. A myriad of people were able to contact me via this phone. I accepted the call, “Yes?”

“Do you have any idea what a douche move you pulled?”

I smiled. “Caroline. I wasn't aware you had my number.”

“The only reason it took me this long to call is because I had to find out the freakin' thing first, and don't think I don't know you did that on purpose.”

“Now there you have me, love.”

“You took my scrapbook, Klaus. That's like stealing my diary!” She strangled out a growl. I could just imagine her, pacing on the other side of the call, hand clenched as if wrapping it around my throat. 

“I must compliment you on your handwriting, by the way. Very legible and confident.” 

“You aren't even going to deny it?”

“Why should I? We both know the truth.”

“Not only is it creepy, but it's invasive and infuriating! What the hell were you thinking?” 

I idly flipped another page. “I saw an opportunity and I seized it, love. You can hardly blame me for wanting to know more about the time we spent apart.”

She huffed. “Did you ever think of just asking?”

I cocked a brow. “Would you have told me?”

“Well, it's too little too late now, isn't it? God, I can't believe I'm even surprised by this. Of course you don't know what boundaries are. It's perfectly normal for you to take me out on a great date then steal something super personal from my room when I'm not looking.” Her voice changed. “Don't even think about showing up at my apartment for the next week, you jerk. Not without a damn good apology. I'm talking epic.”

I sat up, alert. “What do you mean?”

“Figure it out, Klaus! You want to date, fine—here's the first lesson in what a relationship is like: _Don't invade your girlfriend's privacy!_ ” She shouted the last bit into the phone, causing me to jerk the receiver away to save my sensitive hearing. 

There is a tone, and I was left staring at the blinking 'call ended' symbol.

Caroline hung up on me in a pique. 

For a moment I was uncertain how to react. Naturally I was not pleased at being shouted at. Nor did I appreciate the abrupt end to our conversation. And yet....

My lips quirked. Curled. Spread into a grin. Chuckles shook my frame and grew into laughter. Ah, Caroline! I tossed the mobile away and slumped against the headboard, running my hands down my face. She would be a handful, that one. _“Isn't she stunning?_ ” I once asked Kohl. 

I did suppose she has a point. I wasn't particularly fond of anyone touching my things, myself. The scrapbook was a temporary source of information at best, soon to be exhausted. Caroline's anger, however, wanted assuaging. 

A week, was it? I would give her three days. It was sufficient time to put my other plans into motion. A permanent residence, for example, one large enough for two vampires and the occasional hybrid or family member that might make an appearance. Caroline wouldn't have to know that I bought it with her in mind. She did value her independence, after all. It would simply be another piece maneuvered into place for the inevitable conclusion, there whenever I happened to need it. 

Contacting the necessary foundations concerning funds for education was also a priority. I had made the offer; follow through was of the utmost importance. Taking the scrapbook had shaken Caroline's newborn trust in me. Regrettable but not something from which I could not recover. I would make good on my word. She would forgive my little lapse in the wake of it.   
I laid the scrapbook aside, running a finger over the cover. I had developed a sort of affection for the thing. A bit of gratitude for allowing me to see what I otherwise could not have. 

I scoffed at my own sentimentality and eased onto my back, one arm draped over my forehead as I contemplated the ceiling. 

Girlfriend. 

Such a paltry word. 

Caroline was a queen in the making, destined to rule over the Shades. She would conquer them with a smile. They would fall for her charm, never suspecting how fierce she could be under the   
brightness.

Now where would a queen like that feel most at home?

xxxxx

I was going to kill him. I don't know why it never occurred to me to do it before. Clearly the Salvatores were super crappy at it. In my current state of mind, all I needed was a ten second window and a sharp stick. 

I paced my room like a caged animal, dearly wishing he was there. How the hell could someone kiss a person like that and then steal their freakin' scrapbook? I had thoughts and feelings in there I would never say out loud. _That's why I wrote them down_. People don't go around reading stuff like that, dammit. 

Oh god, some of the things I wrote. He was reading them, possibly even at that moment, and he'd know more about me during that period than my mom did. 

It just wasn't right. It was—it was--

So freakin' Klaus I couldn't even really be mad. Embarrassed as hell, yes, but mad? On a scale of one to ten of terrible things he'd done, this barely rated a point five. Not that it made me feel better to know that. 

Oh, he was so dead. 

I had to get the number to call him from my mom. I didn't even have his number. How messed up was that? I was practically Frenching a guy I couldn't even call! I ran my hands through my hair. I was so flipping upset and confused that I didn't really know where to start anymore. Kissing Klaus was so much easier than I thought it would be. Multiple times. That should have been a good sign, right? And he left without pushing the issue. 

Except he left with something of mine that he shouldn't have. Was that why he was so nice about it? He wanted to get out of there so he could dig up dirt? Did he think I wouldn't notice it was missing, and he oh-so-conveniently happened to be in the vicinity a few minutes prior? 

I sank into my chair and propped my face in my hands. “Not even a day and things are already more complicated than they ought to be.” 

Okay, step two: Establishing boundaries. Klaus did not get to paw through my stuff whenever he felt like it. Hence the one week ban. First of all, I didn't want to see his face for a good long while. Second of all, he had to learn there were consequences to being creeptastic like that. This wasn't kindergarten, for god's sake. I shouldn't have to train his good judgment like a puppy on a pad. He was over a thousand years old. I was only 20. I didn't have time for this!

Wait. Actually, I did. 

Rephrase: I didn't have the patience for it. 

There was no way I was going to be able to go to sleep that night. I had a choice between trying to get a jump on projects that were coming up...or grabbing the ice cream in the freezer and popping in a dvd from the first season of _Supernatural_. 

That was no contest. 

Decision made, I jumped out of my chair and threw my door open. “Colby! It's Winchester Watch time!”

My roommate popped out of the woodwork faster than you could say vampire. “ _Supernatural_?” he asked excitedly. 

“Season One.”

“You are speaking my language, Terra.” 

I think Colby would have preferred a male roommate, but when I came along he was so desperate for the other half of the rent he probably didn't want to quibble about gender. At first I thought he was just gay—not exactly a leap, considering he'd just broken up with his boyfriend. Turned out he was bi. It didn't cause a problem, though. I was so far from his type it was almost funny. Colby tended to favor one of two groups: tall hipster men or short girls with tattoos, dyed hair, and piercings. 

Preferably Asian in both cases.

And he was as adorably ginger as could be. Such a cutie. He also let me decorate the way I wanted. He won points all the way around not too many weeks after I moved in. 

It occurred to me as I put in the disc that I was going to have to clue Klaus in to the gender of my roommate. Now that was a pain. I didn't think it was much of his business, at least not at that moment, but reality was that I didn't want Colby turned into shishkabob over some misunderstanding. He deserved better than that, and I wouldn't want to be kept in the dark if it were me. 

Being fair sucked sometimes, but that was relationships. As twisted as the one I was in turned out to be. 

Colby had the bowls and ice cream and was already in prime watching mode. He still managed to spare a glance at me, though. “What's got your panties out of place?”

“Funny,” I snorted. “Being sexless to me doesn't mean you can comment on my undies.”

“I'll remind you of that the next time you mix the whites with the colors. Your thong will just have to end up splotchy blue.”

“Come on, it was a normal pair of panties and that was one time.” I grabbed the proffered bowl and sat down on the loveseat. “I met up with a guy I knew in my hometown yesterday.” 

He sucked on his spoon. “And?”

“It was weird, and it reminded me of a lot of things I thought I left behind. Same old song and dance.” 

“You're talking to the guy who got disowned for liking dudes. Vague answers sort of don't cut it with me.”

If only he knew. Still, a lot of things were going to come out over the next few days. I might as well prepare him in advance. So while the main dvd menu flickered on the screen of our television, I dug into the ice cream and spilled my guts. “His name is Klaus. He's from the oldest family in town. I mean, the kind of family everybody knew about.”

“Kind of like on _Andy Griffith_.”

I rolled my eyes. “Anyway, Klaus has a reputation. He did a lot of things over the years that didn't make people like him very much, but he was still charming and charismatic. He didn't get along with my group.” That was the understatement of the year, yet strangely appropriate. “Especially not my boyfriend.” 

Colby eyed me. “I am sensing a secret romance here.”

“There wasn't a romance,” I protested. 

“Deep, dark, dirty animal attraction?”

“Seriously, what were you doing this weekend?”

He grinned. “Do you really want to know?”

“No.” Colby was a horndog who had no problem whatsoever regaling me with his sex life. I'll say this much for him—he was definitely imaginative with his positions. “Do you want to hear this or not?”

“Please. I already know where this is going. Chris--”

“Klaus.”

“That's what I said—Klaus had the hots for tender little Terra, which may or may not have been consummated, and she disappeared into the wild blue yonder after high school. Years later they meet and it's lust at second sight. Am I close?”

“Kind of. It was a lot more than lust for him.” I shifted in my seat. “He was really in love with me. Like, you know, would do anything for me, love.” 

“Wow. Really?”

I nodded. “Yeah. And you know what the worst part was? I liked it. I liked knowing this big, bad guy had this soft spot for me, even though I was totally in love with my boyfriend. I know it kind of makes me a bad person, but it also humanized him at the same time.” 

Colby seemed to get it. “There was a girl like that in my high school. Total raging bitch, but when she was around her boyfriend she purred like a kitten and giggled like a broken kewpie doll. Weirded me out.” 

The image in my head of Klaus giggling was totally bizarre, and it made me laugh. “Well, he's never giggled, but he does soften up.”

“Does or did?”

Damn English majors. “Does. But man, he's got issues. On the one hand he's totally sweet to me, and then he's a complete bastard to other people. It's like this knee-jerk reaction and it's enough to give you whiplash.”

Colby stilled. “What do you mean, issues? Like, anger management issues?”

His last boyfriend was abusive. He got out before it turned too bad, but there were a few weeks when he had nightmares and there were some nasty phone calls in the middle of the night. The terrible part was that what he was thinking about Klaus wasn't wrong, but it wasn't right either. “He's a lot like a kid when he doesn't get his way.” Total truth. “His dad was a total psycho who went over the edge when Klaus' youngest brother died. It's just really irritating.”

He was quiet for a while. “So what's this blast from the past got to do with you now?”

“Nothing and everything. He wants to date. I said yes.”

He set the bowl on the coffee table. “Terra, I am going to give you the speech.”

“The speech about not hanging out with anyone who doesn't treat me right and who becomes more controlling over time, because it's not worth it and I can do better?”

“Exactly. That speech.”

“You're right,” I said simply. “I can. I'm not going to let him treat me as anything less than a queen.” I pursed my lips. “To be honest, he's never once made me feel worthless. He's always encouraged me to go out, see more, do bigger things. He thinks I should go to college.” 

Funny the things you say when you're defending somebody, even when you're mad at them. I didn't think I'd totally convinced Colby to give up his suspicions, but he did warm up a little at the idea of Klaus lobbying for positive improvement. “He's also kind of rich,” I tossed out on a whim. 

“Kind of or really?”

“I don't have figures, but let's just say it isn't a problem.”I chewed on my bottom lips. “One more thing.”

He sighed. “I'm all ears.”

“Everybody called me Caroline in high school, so don't be surprised if he does when he comes around.”

“Caroline? Well...that's wholesome.”

“Hey! It's a perfectly respectable name!”

“Whatever. Start the show. I'm dying to ogle some sarcastic Dean Winchester butt.”

That went better than expected. 

We watched a lot more episodes than we originally intended, but by the time I finally did make it to bed I was feeling more grounded. The next three days passed uneventfully. There was radio silence from Klaus. It was exactly what I asked for, and yet I was still suspicious. It wasn't like him to be so obedient, you know? 

I did all the normal things. I worked on projects. I looked up colleges. I talked to Mom. That was awesome. It was still unbelievable to me in a lot of ways, but mostly I was just grateful. Even better, by the third day, I had half-convinced myself that Klaus was actually going to do the right thing. 

I went out grocery shopping. When I came back, I was loaded down with what we needed for the week. All of my reusable bags (which I sewed myself, thank you very much) were filled to the brim with essentials and would have knocked a normal human down. It was nothing against vampire strength, but at the same time it wasn't exactly comfortable getting on and off the bus with everything. I got to the front door of my building, trying to dig out my keys when this smell drifted up my nose. It was light, like it was far away, and oh it was bad. 

I'd smelled that before. A long time ago. 

It smelled like something...dead. 

My heart dropped into my stomach. I forced myself to stay calm. There were any number of reasons I could be smelling what I was smelling. Maybe someone went hunting and brought back deer meat or something to the city. Not a lot of hunters in the heart of the metropolis, but still, it was possible. 

But the more I climbed the stairs, the stronger the smell became, until I was standing outside of my apartment door and utter certainty slammed between my eyes. Blood pumping, I dropped all of the bags and slammed my key home. It was still locked, thank god, but that didn't mean anything, did it? “Colby?” I called out, panicked. No answer. “Colby?” 

Oh god. 

Oh god. 

I didn't smell blood. If something was wrong, I'd smell blood right? Not just death. Colby was fine when I left an hour ago. He had to be fine now. He just had to be. I vampire flashed to his room. “Colby!” 

“What?”

I jumped, spinning around. There he was, standing in nothing but a towel, wet from a shower. “Thank god!” I threw myself into his arms, not even caring if he got me wet. “I thought something was wrong.” 

He peeled me off. “What the hell is going on? You okay?” 

“This is going to sound totally crazy but something smells really, really bad.”

“Not me. Just took care of that.”

“No, I mean really, Colby! Like, it was so strong. It still is.” I scented the air. Colby thought I had a developed sense of smell. He didn't have a clue, and I would have kept it that way if this horrible musk would just go away. 

I turned and left the room, following my nose with a sick churning in my chest. I headed back to the grocery bags I abandoned in the hall. There, in the sea of material, was a small brown paper wrapped box I missed earlier. I stood there, staring at it, knowing Colby had come up behind me. “Did you order anything?” 

“No. You?”

“No.” I didn't want to open that package. I didn't want to get near it, but I bent and gently picked it up anyway. It looks like any other package, except with no name. I don't hear any ticking, but there's a slide of something inside. Like a soft thump. Chills shot up my arm, filling me with the heebie jeebies. I quickly bent and put it back on the ground, wiping my hand on my jeans in disgust. 

Colby was quiet and pale, paler than usual. He met my gaze. “Do you think Dan left it?”

“I don't know.” When that bastard first started terrorizing Colby, I tried to let the police handle it. Unfortunately there was only so much they could do before something bad happened. I took matters into my hands and compelled Dan to stay the hell away or suffer the consequences. Had he found a way around the compulsion? 

“Should we open it?”

“Are you nuts?” Didn't he watch the news? I had super speed, but he didn't. If something was as wrong as I thought it was, there was little chance he could get out of the way in time. 

“Maybe it's from neighbor.”

“And maybe Lizzie Borden didn't give her parents forty whacks,” I retort. 

“Then what do we do with it?”

“Get rid of it,” I decide. “If it is from a neighbor, we'll buy them wine as an apology.”

“Then one of us has to pick it up.”

“Aren't you the dude around here? Aren't you supposed to be thrusting out your chest and claiming to be brave?”

“Whoa, who's throwing gender stereotypes around here, Mary Sunshine? I'm mostly naked, or hadn't you noticed? You're a modern girl. Turn on your inner GI Jane and hop to it.”

Gender equality. It went both ways, apparently. After a second's indecision, I ran back (at human speed) to the kitchen and dug out one of our plastic bags. I used it to scoop up the package without touching it again, letting it fall back into the sack. I held it out like the dirty thing it was and dashed down the stairs, practically sprinting for the dumpster. It was way, way out there on the other side of the complex, which was stupid but harsh reality of city life. 

When I threw the thing in the container I almost danced with relief. I did a full on body shiver because I knew—I _knew_ —that whatever I had just thrown away was bad news of the nth degree. I took my time walking back. I looked like an idiot running the way I had, and I had to dig up my old Miss Mystic Falls smile to pacify the natives as I walked by. 

A few minutes later I was climbing the stairs again. The bags were gone and the door was open. “I'm back,” I called out. I felt a million years old. I wasn't used to the hustle and bustle of danger anymore. If that was what had in fact happened. It set off my radar, that's for sure. “Hey, Colby--”

I halted. 

“Caroline,” Klaus greeted with a tight smile. He had his hands behind his back, and beyond him stood Colby.

Half naked Colby.

In a towel. 

Putting the groceries away. 

Klaus tilted his head. “Something you wish to tell me?”

_Dammit._


	10. Chapter 10

Imagine my great surprise at finding a recently showered man in my lady's apartment. I must confess that, given I had had hybrid stationed on her doorstep for days, I had rather hoped to be better informed of her goings on.

Caroline's pale face was not reassuring. Then her expression tightened. "What are you doing here? We agreed to a week."

"And just why was that?" I asked with a tightening of my jaw. She came forward—brave of her—and skirted around me quickly. I watched with gradually widening eyes as she placed herself next to the human, obviously shielding him from my wrath.

With a hand on his very bare chest, I might add. The unconscious, familiar gesture coupled with her defiant stare did not improve my rapidly deteriorating mood.

"You know why," she said flatly.

"Yes, I'm beginning to see."

Caroline snorted. "Rein in your imagination, Klaus. This is Colby. My _roommate."_ She crowded just a bit closer to the redheaded man, ready to defend him at a moment's notice.

Thus her introduction's soothing affect was only minimal at best. "My my," I murmured, running my eyes down his...rather unspectacular frame, "aren't we progressive?"

To his credit, the human met my regard without flinching. "You were right about his being intense. One might even call it bellicose."

I cocked my head. "Would one?"

"You walked into an apartment that wasn't yours and practically accuse Terra of having a man sleep over. Considering you just showed up what, three, four days ago, you don't exactly have the right to get possessive, do you?" He put his hand over 'Terra's' and watched my reaction. "Bellicose," he repeated decisively.

This human and I were not going to get on. "A twenty-something with a vocabulary. How droll." I dismissed him with a glance at Caroline. "I believe you know your choices, love. Why don't you see to it?"

Her chin shot up. "How about not? Colby is important to me. And you promised."

He looked at her sharply. "What did he promise? Terra, why are you hanging out with this guy? He doesn't respect boundaries, what makes you think he's going to respect you?"

I could see from Caroline's flickering eyes that his words hit far to close to home. "Mind your business, my man," I growled. "The door was open. I came in to make certain she wasn't hurt."

"Oh? And the He-man display?"

"I asked her to explain—hardly a show of violence." Though that could be negotiated. I promised not to kill. Throw around like a pinata, however, was still on the table.

"Terra, look, I know it's not my right to interfere-"

I cut in, bristling, "It's not."

"But you and I both know the signs."

"The signs of what, you meddlesome-"

"BOYS!" Caroline snapped. "Bring it down a notch!"

She pointed at me. "I told you one week. You don't get to show up here and throw your weight around, with or without that epic apology I mentioned. Of which you are without." She turned to the roommate, her tone noticeably softer. "Colby, I know what you're thinking, and what I'm about to say isn't going to help, but it isn't what it looks like. Klaus has a problem with boundaries, but he has no intention of hurting me."

"Just bully you," he insisted. "Terra, this is how it starts."

My head came up.

She shot a glance my way. She opened her mouth, then closed it. There was no defense against the accusation.

A peculiar pain centered itself over my heart, stabbing deep.

There was a flicker of something in her expression. Weariness, perhaps. Certainly sadness. "I don't want to do this," she said with a swallow.

For a moment—an endless, impossible moment—I thought she was referring to our relationship.

 _No_.

A growl began in my chest when she slipped her hands over his jaw, bringing his gaze to hers. "Colby."

The growl cut itself off, and I watched warily.

"The last few minutes didn't happen. Klaus knocked before he came in. He was helping you put up groceries. You decided you like him for now, but you're going to reserve judgment the way you would with any of my boyfriends." She cut off the link by blinking, then leveled a look at me that revealed in no uncertain terms her feelings on the matter. She cleared her throat. "So, Colby's a big fan of literature. Who knows, you might find something in common."

He blinked in confusion. "Yeah, maybe."

My voice was hoarse and quiet. "It is not unlikely," I allowed.

"Man, is it chilly in here or what? I'm going to run and get some clothes on. Be right back." He left the kitchen, still rather dazed, but that would wear off soon enough.

The atmosphere between Caroline and myself, however, was another matter.

She refused to look at me, hugging herself as she gazed at the floor. "You should go."

Regret quickly followed the relief I had briefly experienced. Faced with the possibility of her refusal, age old instincts had surged forth, only to be quashed as quickly as they had kindled. "Caroline-"

"Don't pretend you're sorry. We both know you're not."

"I am." In three steps I was before her. I refused to allow distance of any kind separate her from me again. She backed away when I would have cupped her waist, but trapped herself against the counter instead. I saw my chance and I took it, keeping her there despite her avoidance of my touch. "I'm aware that you've made a sacrifice for me."

She laughed humorlessly. "Yeah, because you couldn't tamp it down, could you?" She sniffed. Her beautiful eyes were wet and resentful. "I had a speech all planned out. It didn't have to be like this. I didn't have to mess with his mind. He took me in and gave me a home and he's my friend, Klaus, but he thought he was protecting me and now this."

"I came here today to make peace." It was important that she knew that.

"You've got a really good way of showing it."

She was not in the state of mind to listen. My window had closed and the curtains were drawn. I cursed my own sense of timing. I thought I had planned this so carefully, yet she still managed to turn everything upside down. I could not deny it was my own temper that had engineered the downfall, however. Too quick to react. I always was in Caroline's case. "You ruin my self control," I confessed to her in a guttural voice.

I cupped her face despite her protest and forced her to look at me. Her visage was as well known to me as my own, yet it had the power to bring me to my knees if she wanted. "I readily acknowledge that I am a bully. I forced your hand. But I cannot regret it, Caroline. I want you. I will be good to you. I swear that."

When I kissed her, she did not respond. No matter. This girl was mine, by fair means or foul, and I would coax her to want me again.

It was a light, unobtrusive kiss, a melding of her soft lips to mine, and I memorized their shape when I closed my eyes. I had already exposed the raw wound of my jealousy. I was determined to impart my ability to be kind and gentle as well.

She did not push me away. The heat and sparks between us was real, despite her cold reception of my attentions. It was only her stubborn nature that kept her from embracing me in return. I was convinced of that. Two years ago she had softened towards me, but she never allowed herself to feel. When she kissed me in her kitchen, she proved her willingness to be with me. When I kissed her in her bedroom, I accepted all that she was.

Here, now, I was communicating my resolve.

Perhaps even my love.

I did love Caroline Forbes, so much that it was a sickness in my heart that threatened to overtake it at the merest mention of separation. It was obsession, possession, capable of pushing me towards depths I had never explored. It wasn't the pure, light, euphoric thing that was the modern ideal. It was a powerful, drugging pull that would not release me no matter how I struggled against it.

I knew I would do what it took to pull her into the darkness with me, but I wanted to keep Caroline's light protected, surrounded in an impenetrable bubble. It was what made her Caroline.

I withdrew from her lips with a breath. "You could love me," I told her, "if you would only let yourself."

There was a sound around the corner, and then the ginger roommate returned. Fully clothed. "Whoa, am I interrupting something?"

I let Caroline turn her face away to hide her confusion, using her momentum to tuck her head against my shoulder. We were the picture of a cuddly couple. I held her there with a hand on her hip and an arm around her back. "Colby,"I greeted. "Would you care to join us at the aquarium this evening? There's room enough in the car for one more."

I felt her minutest reaction, but she didn't balk.

He glanced from me to Caroline, uncertainty written across his expression. "The aquarium? Uh, no, thanks. I've got a paper due the day after tomorrow and I haven't even started."

"Too bad. Another time. We'll be heading out to dinner after. If you change your mind, just call and I'll send the car back."

His brows twitched at the mention of the car, but he manfully held back his surprise. "Sure, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks again for the invite."

I backed away, taking Caroline's hand in mine. "No trouble, mate. Caroline speaks highly of you."

She managed a smile—her Miss Mystic Falls smile, to be exact—that gave no hint to anything other than happiness, bidding her roommate a cheery goodbye as we left.

She pulled the door closed behind her, pausing for the barest of seconds, then followed my lead wordlessly down the stairs and into the waiting car.

Not a word passed between us during the ride, despite our firmly intertwined fingers. It was very unlike the mood of our last date. I readily accepted my fault in that. The silence, however, continued far beyond paying for admission and strolling through the halls. She was not reticent to speak to me—she answered remarks and smiled at the antics of the fish—but it was clear to me that Caroline was not mentally present. She was far, far elsewhere. The blue loneliness of the tanks only heightened the feeling, until finally I could not stand anymore.

"Come on," I barked. I pulled her out of the aquarium halfway through the displays, briskly tugging her along.

"Where are we going?" She sounded utterly surprised, more lively than she'd been in over an hour.

"Away," I replied, in no mood to explain further. A quick ring and our ride was waiting. I deposited Caroline in her customary seat and slid in after her. "Take us to the museum."

Robby nodded and pulled out without another word.

I felt Caroline's curious gaze. "What museum?"

I did not trust myself to answer just then, and cast her a look clearly communicating so. She settled back in the seat, clearly uneasy.

It took mere minutes. We exited the car without much ado, and I barely glanced at Caroline when we walked into to the marble white interior of a nondescript building. Very little indicated the purpose of the place, with the one exception of a banner hanging on the back wall. It advertised some of the newer pieces in a Baroque exhibit.

Caroline stood in the lobby, clearly unsure what we were doing there. To the left were stairs that led to a cafe. A wall of windows behind us gave the place a certain glow, and just beyond the hep and admissions desk was a hallway that went right and left.

Visitors had a choice.

Everyone had a choice, I corrected myself, giving into a rare moment of philosophy. I quickly paid the entry fee and guided Caroline forward with a hand on the small of her back. I immediately went left.

"What's all this?" Her voice naturally lowered in the starkness of the atmosphere. We approached the double glass doors at a brisk speed.

I placed my hand on the handle. "Ancient history."

I opened the door.

The hush that fell over us was immediate, the same as one might feel upon entering a cathedral. Artifacts have that affect on people; they are proof that time marches on, and when confronted with such evidence, people are thus reminded of their mortality.

I, of course, viewed it through a somewhat different lens.

The museum originally began as one building back in the 1880s, according to my research. When the collection grew beyond the physical confines of the grounds, the board purchased the building next door. Then another, then another, connecting each with a series of glass hallways and manicured courtyards. What was billed as one museum was therefore actually a series of structures. I had visited before, in a maudlin moment, because the museum had a reputation for being quite diverse in nature. Simply put, it had an all encompassing collection. One part of the museum was dedicated to American history. The other...

Well, two guesses about that.

The first room was a sort of appetizer of things to come. Dimly lit to preserve the sparse number of items within, the walls were covered with reproductions of church mosaics and tapestry scenes. Before us stood a door, no longer connected to any wall but yet managing to seem as if it could open to another dimension. Caroline approached it with caution, staring at the repetitive reliefs hammered into the iron leafing. It was a work of functional art, and it was only the beginning.

Next to it, under a thick case of glass, hung a medieval clock suspended from a hook. Imagine a grandfather clock whose wood has faded away, leaving a steel system of pulleys and hands. I could hear the phantom ticking as clear as day. It was all too easy to close my eyes and hear the sounds, smell the smells of the Middle Ages. A time of fear and wonderment, short life and the beginnings of a scientific understanding that trembled in its infancy.

To our right stood an arched portal, bits of stone columns attached the walls, the missing pieces drawn to complete them. We could see the vague shadows of people moving beyond, their hushed whispers and yellowish lighting adding an almost unearthly feel to the place.

"Why are we here, Klaus?"

I lifted my chin. "I took something from you detailing your past. Unfortunately all of my relics are scattered in other places, so this will have to do as a replacement. Ask me anything about my past and I'll tell you."

She looked from the door to me, then the portal. "So we're doing a Q&A session, is that it?"

I did not detect a softening in her. She had not, however, rejected the proposal out of hand. "Nearly everything you will see beyond that archway is a piece of what I've experienced. One thousand years of my past will lay at your feet. All you have to do is find the courage to look."

She didn't appear to want to take the bait, casting a doubtful glance about without really seeing her surroundings. Then she bit her lip and pierced me with her eyes. "Anything."

"Anything," I affirmed.

She took a deep breath, releasing almost a sigh. Her gaze focused on the portal as if she were eying the door to the Underworld. I could very nearly see her gather the moxie I so admired and wrap it around herself. Her shoulders straightened. Her chin lifted.

She walked forward, through the gate, the way Persephone might have done so thousands of years before.

I smiled at her back. Queen of the Shades indeed.

xxxxx

I've been in a couple of museums. I've even been in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History once.

There was no comparison to what I saw here.

First of all, it was quiet. Graveyard quiet, a kind of stillness that gives you warm shivers on the back of your neck. There was a sense of presence, like the room had a lot more people in it than it did. Did I believe in ghosts before becoming a vampire? I'm not sure.

Standing in a room like this made me feel small. A teeny, tiny piece in a fabric so big no one would ever be able to see it from end to end.

And Klaus had lived a thousand years of it. I don't think it ever really registered what that meant before that moment. I walked gingerly up to the first case, just a few feet in the room, and peered in. I don't know what I was expecting to see. It was a lot like looking into a deep, deep pool. You want to see what's at the bottom, but you're afraid of falling in.

The objects inside were innocent enough. They were small gold buttons with a kind of rough pin backing. According to the plaque they were brooches used to hold capes or shawls together. I bent my head a little more. "630 AD."

"A bit before my time," Klaus said softly as he sidled up beside me. I looked at him; he had his hands behind his back. He was wearing his usual jeans and T-shirt, with a black jacket and who knew how many necklaces around his neck. He didn't look anything less than modern. He didn't fit. Was I thinking he'd suddenly turn into an ax-wielding barbarian?

Something felt very wrong. With the room or with Klaus, I couldn't be sure.

I walked along the case to the end. Inside were pieces of papyrus from Egypt that had migrated to Europe; an early sign of how extensive the trading system was. When I cleared the case I could walk into the greater part of the room. Each side was lined with cases, with a few dotting the middle. It only took a few minutes to figure out the system. We were currently in the Bronze Age. The majority of that consisted of jewelry and pottery. Most of it was taken from graves.

I can't describe what reading that made me feel. "Grave of unknown woman, necklace, earrings, hair comb, circa 650 AD." I love jewelry. I have bangles and earrings and a drawer full of rings. Did I want to buried with it all? No. But I wasn't going to be buried, was I?

My mother was. Well, she might go for cremation, but it was generally assumed she would be buried like the rest of our family and their families before them. I stood there, staring at the beads strung on a shaped wire to restore the shape, and it hit me. Chances were good I would be alive in one hundred years. Maybe even four hundred. Would someone dig up my mother and only find her jewelry in the ground.

I started to shake. I tried to bite my lip and hug myself to keep it in, but it got worse. A deep, dark, terrible fear started to assail me. A kind of panic I jut couldn't shake. I was losing it right there in the museum.

Suddenly a hand reached out and tangled with mine, gripping it tight. "Caroline." He stepped into my vision, his face filling up everything. "Breathe."

I inhaled automatically.

"Good." He didn't smile. He sounded as stern and no nonsense as a drill instructor. "Now exhale."

I did it.

"Again."

I was already beginning to feel more grounded. He was right there, the most unlikely anchor I could have imagined, and yet he made sense. He'd lived through this. Literally. He was proof I could survive.

My gaze flickered to the attendant standing just a little bit away from us; he was eying us like a hawk, probably ready to jump into action if I had a panic attack or something. Did that happen a lot?

That was funny for some reason.

"Good girl. You're doing well."

I nodded. "Yeah. Thanks. I don't know what came over me." That was a lie and he knew it.

He lowered his voice in deference to our audience. "Time means something different to us, Caroline. Remember that. Come," he commanded, using our hands to lead me away. We advanced a few yards. "This is what I wanted you to see."

It was a shield. Well, what was left of it. The wood rotted away a long time ago. It really was amazing how the museum put things together to really show the depth and breadth of the weaponry. Without the shield, they took the cap—a pointy piece of metal that was in the center of the shield—and constructed a scale clear plastic disc to represent the missing wood.

I guess they found more than that, because they took it a step forward. There was a two-d flat plastic representation of a horse. The shield sat where a rider would have held it. There were actual pieces of a bridle in the horse's mouth. There was a spear tip and a plastic shaft strapped to the side. At the bottom, in the stirrups, were crude versions of spurs.

At the top, adorning an invisible head, was a helmet. It had a slightly crooked nose guard and holes for the ears. There were lion-like animals, eagles, and god knew what else etched into the sides.

It was huge, and the whole setup was impressive. You could almost hear a horse whinny.

"The man who wore this was rich."

"How do you know?" I asked softly.

"No one but the richest of men could have afforded all this weaponry and a horse. It would have cost him the equivalent of a mansion in the nicest of suburbs."

I cocked a brow. "You're kidding me."

"Wealth was very literal, Caroline. The phrase _worldly goods_ is no exaggeration. Everything was hard currency. If you did not have gold, silver, or jewels in your hand or land in your name, you had nothing. You only had clothes because you sewed them, and you only had a home because you cut it out of nature yourself." He was studying the display intently. "From there you either earned or stole what you could to advance."

I considered that. Talking to Klaus was calming. It gave me something to focus on. "Which method did you use?"

He looked down at me, a half smile gracing his lips. "A little bit of both, darling."

"I'm guessing high yield interest accounts weren't around at the time."

"High interest, yes. Moneylenders have been around for almost as long as the concept of money. Accounts...not quite. But unlike this man, I did not have my worldly goods buried with me. Wealth simply accumulates over time. New things become old, value rises, and the rest is history."

"Did you ever wear any of this sort of stuff?"

"Yes."

I pursed my lips. "Do you still have any of it?"

"From this era?" He seemed to have to think about it. "I'm afraid not. Unfortunately there was a time or two where we had to dash off unexpectedly, leaving most everything behind. No; I'm wrong. I think I have a sword or a dagger still." His brow furrowed. "I'll have to check," he said at last.

That was just beyond weird. He couldn't remember if he had a knife from 4 BC or whenever, when there were about a million people who would kill to have one.

Another sign of how old he was.

From there we wandered to other sections. I really, really did not like the religious collection. It smelled like dust and death. I mean, The Mummy Returns type death. The gargoyles were bad, but the tapestries were horrible. It was dark in that room, for the colors and everything, but the images were not the serene, beautiful images I was expecting. Nope. It was blood and guts and gore, depicted in vivid form. Klaus explained that God was not an abstract being in those days. He was a very big, very vengeful presence with a very hard sense of justice. If you did wrong, He punished you. The Devil was just as real. Things like crops failing were a sign of good versus evil, and just like God has His angels to be messengers, Lucifer had his witches and demons.

I was both horrified and fascinated. It was very confusing. I couldn't imagine living in a time when everything was so hardcore. "How did you survive?" I asked at one point. "If people were so quick to blame the Devil and witches, surely vampires weren't too far down on the list."

"A combination of wit, deception, and a great deal of compulsion," Klaus answered. "Although there were times when bloodshed was unavoidable."

 _I'll bet_ , I wanted to say. But I didn't. I had a lot of food for thought to chew over.

It got better after that. We moved on to the Middle Ages. The armory was the best. They had suits of every imaginable shape and size, including one for a child. The swords were humongous—longer than me!-and they had a life sized mannequin horse and rider all decked out in jousting outfits. Complete with lance.

I gaped.

I saw one of the first examples of a pistol, which doubled as a mace since it only had one shot. I saw toys, plates, giant ovens, everything, all the way up to the 1700s. By then my distress from Colby was lessening. In a way I still blamed Klaus for forcing me to compel my friend. If he'd done as I asked, I wouldn't have had to mess with Colby's head. But it was my decision in the end; it was just easier to erase the memories than deal with the constant hostility poor Colby would have directed at someone he thought was hurting me. It was too risky. For his own safety, the memories had to go.

I still felt like a jerk, but somehow not too bad of one.

We were on the top level, and rounded a corner where all the lights were off. For a moment I thought we'd ended up in a wrong corner, but then we must have triggered a motion sensor or something. Light flickered and glowed, revealing a U-shaped life sized display of clothes.

More than a dozen mannequins stood without heads, arms, or hands, filling out frocks and jackets with disturbing detail. It was both cool and creepy. Especially the children's outfits.

I looked at the bank straight ahead, where the 'men' stood. Pants only came down to the knees, then socks and high buckled shoes. Heavy jackets, vests, and a piece of cloth wrapped around the neck. "Did you wear that?"

"'Fraid so. That cloth there-" he indicated his neck with a sweep of his finger "-could be damnably itchy if not handled properly."

"Wild."

"I have a painting in one of my residences if you'd care to see."

I turned. "You're pulling my leg."

He chuckled. "Would I jest about my artwork? There are copies of Rebecca and Kol as well, from multiple eras. Elijah was always very stylish. He made for good caricature."

"What, you drew him with a big nose or something?"

His smile was wicked. "Among other things."

"I don't think I want to know." I went over and sat on the bench. We were kind of hidden away in this area, sort of like our secret hideout. The clothing wasn't so scary now that I had the image of Elijah clomping around in a set of high heels. I would bet he pulled it off, though.

Klaus sat next to me, turned in the other direction so we could, in a way, be face to face. "All of this must seem like a giant history lesson to you."

"I never had a history lesson quite like this in school," I pointed out with a raised brow.

He smiled a little. "Yes, well, none of it is very useful, is it, if one does not put it in context." He glanced up through his lashes at me. "You haven't posed one personal question to me, Caroline. Nothing that could be construed as much beyond polite conversation, at any rate." He searched my face. "Ask me. Anything at all. I owe you answers and in this case, I feel honor bound to settle the debt."

I angled to get a better look at him. He wanted personal? Fine. I could do that. "In your entire, very long life, have you really never been in a relationship with a woman?"

He raised his chin. "Once or twice," he admitted. "Centuries ago now. Neither one of them terribly memorable."

"Are we talking about real relationships, or some kind of secret vampire thing I don't want to know about?"

He sent me a look. "Caroline. Relationships. It was still quite early on, when I had yet to come to grips with what eternity meant. My interest—which was never fully engaged to begin with—withered away not long after commencement." We locked eyes. "I never loved them. I knew that even from the beginning."

"But I'm different." There was no point in hiding from it.

He didn't flinch. "Yes. You are."

"What _makes_ me different, Klaus? What rates this kind of...devotion?"

He was silent. It was like he was memorizing my face. Now that I had a better grip on how many faces he'd seen in his lifetime, how many things had changed, I felt the weight of his feelings more than ever. For a few minutes he didn't seem inclined to answer, but then at last he said, "I don't know. I only know that you are you, and this is what I feel."

It was the closest he had ever come to saying _I love you_ out loud. I thought he'd dodge it totally. I was wrong. Something had changed that afternoon. I didn't know what. He was handy and kissy and other stuff before, but now it was more emotional. He was letting himself be...dare I say it? Vulnerable?

The moment was getting intense. I wanted to turn away, break the tension. I couldn't.

He leaned in. "I made a mistake today. Despite what one may think, I do learn from mistakes. I also take care never to repeat them."

"You'll make new ones." There was no accusation. It was just a statement of fact. I wasn't excluding myself from it either.

His gaze warmed. "I am given to understand that relationships are a work in progress."

I couldn't help but smile at that. "Don't be cute, Klaus. I still haven't gotten that epic apology."

His brows shot up. "What, this didn't count? I'm taking you through a journey of time and space. Name one other person who has experienced the same." He looked at me expectantly, even a little playfully, his confidence clearly restored.

"Oh?" I scoffed. "I don't recall the words _I'm sorry_ coming out of your mouth."

The mention of his mouth reminded me of kissing. _You could love me_ , he'd said.

He was right. Terrifyingly right. It wasn't a step I was anywhere near ready to take, but I had a feeling that in the end I wouldn't have much say. When Klaus and I finally got it right, everything would change. I couldn't list all the ways how, but that didn't mean I was any less certain of the outcome.

"You scare the hell out of me," I confessed suddenly.

He sobered. "I know." His thumb came up to caress my chin. "The feeling, my love, is very mutual."

He leaned in and kissed me.

And this time, I closed my eyes and kissed him back.

**To Be Continued...**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**1.** The museum described herein is based on the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuernberg, Germany. I've spent a ton of time in there, thanks to Wednesday evening/free admission from 6-9 pm. Nearly everything I've described can be found there. The armory is my favorite. Just freakin' love it. Just out their website, where they have a few pictures for reference.

 **2.** I don't really sleep all too well lately. I have to occupy my brain somehow. Again, once a month updates for sure, everything else is just bonus.

 **3.** I tend to zone out to music as I write. For a list of songs I have on my "soundtrack" just click on this link: de dot scribd dot com/doc/162381124/Soundtrack


	11. Chapter 11

I didn't tell Klaus about the package. To be honest, I didn't think about it again for several hours, and by then he'd already left.

We went to dinner at a local restaurant. It was your run of the mill steakhouse. I liked how he didn't assume I would want a salad. Nothing wrong with salad, but come on, that's not why someone goes to a steakhouse. We ate and chatted. Klaus reached in his jacket and brought out a packet for me to look it. It was a list of foundations he'd contacted on my behalf and their list of approved universities. If I went to a school not on the list, they would fund a portion of my education, but if I attended somewhere they'd recommended they would give me a full ride. Seemed a little exclusionary to me, but who knew—maybe I would want to go to one of those schools anyway. I decided to look, make decision, _then_ double check it against the list. I didn't want to be biased.

I tried to steal glances at Klaus when he wasn't looking. I didn't have a lot of opportunity to watch him unobserved, you know? I liked the way he held his fork and knife. It was kind of delicate, to be honest. Like this was a ceremony. Maybe for him it was.

He caught me watching him. "What?"

"Nothing. Just looking." I got back to eating. "Thanks for the list, Klaus. It means a lot to me. Any idea if the schools are in my area?"

"Perhaps one or two. Does it matter?"

I paused. "What do you mean?"

"If you found a university out of state, would it truly be so terrible?"

"I don't know about terrible, but I like this city. I want to stick around for a few years."

He chewed slowly. "Would the ginger haired roommate have anything to do with this decision?" His lashes had lowered, as if he were carefully choosing his words.

O-kay. "Maybe,"I allowed. "He's my friend. Maybe my best friend outside of Mystic Falls. I want to keep an eye on him." I shrugged one shoulder. This was a tricky subject, and I could feel the both of us picking through the minefield.

I rubbed my thumb against the hilt of my knife, wondering what he'd say.

"What makes him so special to you, Caroline?"

I laughed a little. "Colby? Well, who else is going to watch movies with me and eat ice cream? He's..." I tried to find the words. "He listens to me, and we talk about boys."

His brow furrowed. "Boys?"

Oh yeah. "Colby's bi. He doesn't have a family anymore because his parents tossed him out when he told them. His sister's name is on the lease, but that's the last thing she did for him. I guess she wasn't too comfortable with it either. I know he's got other friends, but sometimes I think we're more family than that. We were two people alone. Now we're not. That's Colby."

I couldn't read the expression on Klaus' face. It wasn't smooth but it wasn't angry either. _Don't grab the lion by the tail_ , I told myself. I shifted in my seat, and then against my better judgment, "Are you worried?"

"Worried?" he repeated, the same way he might have said ' _manure_?'. "Have you ever known me to be worried, Caroline?"

I made a face. "I was giving you an out, but if you want to play it like that, no I haven't seen you worried. I've seen you jealous, though. I think it's a pretty safe bet that that's exactly what you are this time." I raised both brows, just daring him to deny it.

His jaw tightened. "I find it...difficult when you exhibit affection towards someone." _Someone other than me._ He didn't say it. He didn't have to.

I put my silverwear down and leaned my elbows on the table. "Don't push too hard, Klaus. Let's just take this one step at a time. We've made promises to each other and we're going to keep them. The rest will come."

His face shuttered. "One can hope."

"Don't be like that."

He turned up his nose aristocratically. "How do you mean?"

I wasn't fooled for a second. "Don't put on the mask. It means you're protecting yourself 'cause you think I'm going to hurt your feelings. You try to be aloof to show that I can't. I like the real Klaus better."

"The real Klaus, as you put it," he said slowly, "is far to vulnerable for my liking."

My lips twitched. "Join the club."

He zeroed in on me. "Are you? Vulnerable?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"I know you can be fearful. Vulnerable, on the other hand, indicates a helplessness I find that I cannot detect in you. There are times, my love, when I would swear that you could recover from anything a'tall."

"Well, that's because you're associating vulnerability with weakness. Really it just means someone can see a part of you that you wouldn't dare show anybody else."

His interest was fully engaged. He watched me intently, like every word I said was a glimpse into a mysterious new world he wanted to navigate. "Such as."

"Are you serious? You really don't know?"

He said nothing.

I could not believe that I was going to just flat out say it, but there was nothing doing. I had to hold my nose and jump in. "Klaus. Did I or did I not freak out in the museum?"

He tilted his head.

"Do you think I do that in front of just anybody? My life depends on me being vigilant. I can't let go. I can't be afraid. I have to have it together so I can move at a moment's notice. The only person in the last two years I could rely on was me, because as much as I love Colby he just doesn't know the whole story. _You_ know the story. _You_ know what terrifies me. You're the only person who does." And in the back of my mind, I trusted him enough to pull me out of the black panic that was swallowing me. "For a minute I didn't have to be strong."

That said I sat back in my chair and looked out over the noisy crowd, a little embarrassed. Which was stupid. The man had read my diary/scrapbook after all. There wasn't much worse I could admit. "So now you know," I said after a minute. "Any other questions?"

"Would you prefer a large wedding, or would an intimate ceremony suffice?"

My head snapped around. " _What?_ "

He grinned devilishly.

Sweet relief flooded me. "Oh my god, you jerk! You really had me going." My heart finally restarted.

He tried to contain the smile, but he was failing miserably so he tried to hide it by returning to his food. I could tell he was desperately trying not to laugh.

I leaned my forehead on my hand and shook my head. Klaus with a sense of humor. It was rare, but it was there. At least, I hoped it was a joke. I think it was. For now. That didn't mean I had to take it lying down. "Both."

He paused in the middle of cutting his steak. "Pardon?"

"I want both. Intimate ceremony. Massive party. A classical orchestra and a big band and a modern rock group. I want half classy, half blowout. And I don't want to have to clean up after. Remember that."

His gaze was warm. "Duly noted."

We went home not too long after that. We walked hand in hand from the car, chatting about nothing. He wanted to see me all the way to my door, but when we got to my landing he pulled me to a stop. I was a step above him, wondering what he was up to. He seemed to consider something for a long second, staring at my neck without seeing it.

Then his arms slipped around my waist and pulled me to him. He turned his head and laid it on my chest, right over my heart.

And that's where he stayed. Cuddling me.

It was sweet and scary and profound. Don't make me go into the reasons why. I think those were obvious.

For a second I didn't know what to do. My arms lifted without conscious decision. The next thing I knew I had them wrapped around his shoulders and I was laying my cheek on his crown. He was surprisingly warm. I even got the courage to feather my fingers through the hair on the back of his neck. It made a soft bristly sound.

He sighed.

I chuckled. "You sound like a content cat."

He hummed. "Content is the operative word."

This was nuts. But it was kind of cool. We were going to have a ton of days like today, days when I felt like whacking him over the head with a wooden spoon. There were definitely going to be times when he would probably wish he'd never shown up on my doorstep. I knew that. If this was any indicator of how we'd resolve our issues, though, we had a better chance than I thought.

Two years ago we couldn't have done this. I was a different, more grounded person. Running away had its ups and downs, but I was going to count my improved ability to handle Klaus as one of the ups. "You'd better go," I told him softly, stroking his hair. "It's getting late."

"You could invite me in for a night cap."

"Or I could push you down these stairs for getting fresh."

He chuckled. "I know when I'm beaten."

I leaned back. "Thanks for taking me out to the museum. I enjoyed it."

Klaus was eying me in that way I'd come to associate as purely Klaus. Cat/cream analogy, with a hint of possessive pride. His thumb stroked my sides an instant before his gaze fell to my lips.

He didn't even give me time to meet him in the middle. He surged up and took my mouth like it belonged to him. I guess it did, for all intents and purposes, but experiencing the confident takeover was still startling. His hand slid to cup my cheek, smothering my short gasp, his lips clinging to mine. He angled our heads.

Whoa.

It was like he was making love to my mouth. This was no playful meeting of lips. This was...well, I knew without a doubt what was going through his head right then. It had nothing to do with apologies or teasing.

My eyes slid closed.

It was him that pulled back. Both our chests were rising and falling rapidly. It was a lot hotter in the stairwell than it had been a minute ago. I realized I was clutching his shoulders and slowly let go, wondering what the hell just happened.

He released me and stepped down another step, his lips swollen. His expression was hot enough to catch something on fire. "Goodnight, Caroline."

Only Klaus had the ability to say my name like a benediction.

I, on the other hand, sounded like a dumb blonde. "Uh huh. Night."

I watched him descend slowly, then turning and disappearing down the stairwell. I just barely managed to keep myself from leaning over the bannister to watch him go down the rest of the way.

Oh man. I was in trouble.

I went to my door in a daze, then realized I didn't have my keys. Klaus pulled me out without letting me grab anything. I was forced to knock. A few minutes later Colby opened the door.

I knew right away something was wrong. "What is it?"

Paler than usual, he looked around before pulling me into the apartment by the arm. "Klaus isn't with you?"

"No, he just dropped me off. What's going on?"

He shook his head. There was something so off about him that I started to get scared. "I don't know."

I put my hands on his forearms. "If you don't tell me right now, I'm going to start imagining all sorts of weird stuff. So tell me."

He ran a hand through his hair. "I was taking out the rest of the trash, taking a break, you know? Anyway, I opened the door and there was this note tacked to it."

He pulled me to the couch where all his stuff was scattered, fishing out one piece of paper. "It could mean nothing." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

I took the paper slowly. It was just a regular old sheet of computer paper, the words written in a thick, dark marker.

_It's coming for you._

To Colby, the message might have seemed ambiguous, even if his instincts were in an uproar. He didn't have my sense of smell to confirm his suspicions.

The paper smelled like death.

**To Be Continued...**

* * *

**Author's Note:** If you can't access the link from the previous page, simply search for "inertia" "avari" or "klausoline" on scribd and you should be able to find the soundtrack list.

Shorter than usual, but I'm happy for any inspiration at all.

To all who review: Thank you so much. No, my insomnia is unfortunately not better (brought on more by nightmares than a lack of ability to sleep) but at least something productive is coming out of it, right?


	12. Chapter 12

"I can't believe we're doing this," Colby muttered.

I popped out of the dumpster and glared. "I can't believe I'm doing this while you're out there complaining about keeping watch. Now shut it and, you know, _keep watch_."

It was shocking how much trash had accumulated in a matter of hours. I was digging through bags and bags of trash of all types, for once wishing I didn't have a sensitive sense of smell. How the hell was I supposed to find one box out of all this?

It was close to one in the morning and we were trying to be stealthy, using pen flashlights. Colby was standing outside, not doing a very good job of being quiet, and I was the one getting my jeans filthy. Friggin' gender equality.

"I just don't understand why we need to find it, Terra. You said yourself it was bad news."

"Well, I have a feeling that if we don't find out the nature of the beast, we're going to regret it later." I shifted a few bags, thoroughly disgusted at the waste.

"What are you two doing?"

The both of us whipped around to see a figure standing just a few yards away. Colby turned his flashlight. The guy blinked, but my eyesight caught the wolfy glint in his lenses. He was wearing a preppy jacket and he had an undercut hairdo.

Great. A hipster werewolf. Just what I needed at the end of this kind of day. "Can I help you?"

Mr. NatGeo looked at me with amusement. "Actually, I'm here to help you. I'm one of Klaus' detail."

Not a werewolf. A hybrid.

Wait. "Are you..."

He shrugged. "I guess you could call me your new bodyguard. I'm Artie."

This had to be a joke.

He walked closer. I could see the fake prep school patch in the stitching of his breast pocket. Thick glasses flashed in the lights again. "I have to say, it's nice to actually talk to the person I'm protecting."

I closed my eyes and prayed for patience. "I don't believe this."

"Given what I know about you," Artie remarked, "I'd think you'd be expecting it."

The hell of it was that he was right. I opened my mouth to say so, but then I caught the long once over Artie gave Colby, his lips pursed in appreciation.

And Colby was eating it up.

"Hey!" I snapped my fingers. "Paws off."

He lifted a sandy blond brow, but didn't talk back. Colby, on the other hand, turned and gave me a look that clearly read, _Cockblock_.

"What?" I shot back. "We've got other things to take care of, Colby, and so far you suck as a lookout."

"I survived my entire high school education with a squeaky clean record. I'm new to digging through dumpsters, thanks."

Artie ambled closer. Oh yeah, he was checking out Colby hardcore. He barely glanced my way when he asked, "Anything I can assist with?"

Assist. Right. Of the naked roommate variety.

Under normal circumstances I'd be pushing Colby towards Artie with confetti and a heart shaped cake. But Artie was not your run of the mill hipster. He had teeth. Big ones. I didn't think Colby was weak, but I didn't think he was ready to handle the truth either. I squinted at him, suspicion rearing its ugly head. "When exactly did Klaus assign you to me?"

He smiled benignly. "Come on, princess. How about a little trust?"

Colby, bless him, piped up at that. "I think the better question is _why_ he assigned you to her. I know he's rich, but enough to throw that kind of cash around? Without provocation? I don't buy it."

 _Freakin' love this guy_ , I thought, not for the first time.

Artie's smile grew sexual. Like, I was afraid Colby's boxers were going to combust right then and there. "I love an intelligent man who's not afraid to use big words."

My protective instincts roared to life. "Seriously? Don't make me climb out of this dumpster, Preppy." I glared. If he laid one finger—or tooth—on my roommate, the fur was going to fly. I didn't trust Colby's life to anybody, especially not some hybrid that showed up out of the shadows in the middle of the night.

"Jealous? Klaus isn't going to be happy about that."

"Sweetheart, of the two of us, I'm the one you've got to worry about," I assured him. "Now go away. Tell Klaus we stayed in the apartment all night and nothing happened."

"As I found you in a dumpster, that would imply lying. I think we both know how well that works with Klaus."

Too true. But if he discovered that someone was leaving possibly threatening messages and boxes of questionable origin, we'd all be under lockdown before someone could say, " _Prison Break_." Never mind that it would be extreme. I knew Klaus. "Listen," I said seriously. "We lost something. We're looking for it. No big deal."

"Then why did you call it bad news?"

I shifted. "I didn't-" I stopped. Over the smell of the garbage, I scented it. That sickening odor of death.

I looked down, pointed the pen light. There it was. The box. It was stained with heaven knew what. "Oh," I said, trying to sound casual. "I found it. How lucky."

Colby turned and hooked an arm on the metal lip, leaning over. "Hand it up."

I really, really wished we'd thought to buy rubber gloves, but hindsight and all that. I bent and picked up by the edges. The smell was stronger than ever, but if we stayed just the right distance from Artie we might be able to cover ourselves. He'd only smell garbage. Hopefully.

There was that sliding sound again. I passed it over to Colby, who was able to hold it in one hand. I climbed out as quick as I could, shivering at the untold amount of yuckiness covering my body.

Artie reared back. "What the hell is that smell?"

Dammit. "Nothing." Lame answer.

He was on us in seconds, taking the box without so much as a by-your-leave. He ignored Colby's protest and whipped out something from his back pocket. There was a flick of his wrist and suddenly Artie was holding a wicked-sharp switchblade.

We backed off, my arm covering Colby's stomach automatically.

Artie knelt on the ground and went to work, cutting like a surgeon. Part of me wondered at his bravery. The other part of me thought he was a freakin' idiot for digging into something like that without asking questions first.

He handled that knife like a pro—bringing out a side of hipster scary I've never seen before—and had that box open in less than seconds.

All of us recoiled.

It was a rat. A huge, dead rat, already in a state of decomposition that I won't go into detail with. It was mutilated, sliced in a way that made bile rise in my throat.

And there wasn't a drop of blood to be had.

Artie turned, shivering all over for a second, his face twisted in disgust. "Hate rats." Then he sucked in a deep breath and turned back. "It's drained," he said. He flicked his wrist around and sheathed the blade again. "No puncture wounds though. Whoever did this was human."

Colby stared at him. "What the hell else would it be?"

Artie was a quick one, I'd give him that. "Cat. Animal. Whatever. Nobody picked this up and sent it; it was deliberate. Sending a message." He looked at me. "Want to tell me what's going on, princess?"

Colby stepped forward. "It's me," he said grimly. "I have a crazy ass ex who's just nuts enough to do this." His mouth was a thin hyphen, but I could see how bad this hurt him. The nightmares would be back.

Fury hit me like a ball of fire. I closed my hands into fists, bringing them up and imagining Dan's neck in them. "He's dead. When I get my hands on him, he's going to hurt so bad he'll wish he'd never been born."

He smiled weakly. "Come on, Terra, that's sweet but we both know we don't have any proof it was him. He'll just have you arrested for trespassing or assault or something else equally fucked up."

Now it was Artie and I exchanging looks. Artie, at least, knew that things would go a lot worse for Dan than for me if we were left alone for just five minutes. "You can't tell Klaus," I said. Demanded, really.

His face screwed up. For a second he looked torn. "I want to agree, but..." He shrugged. "You don't lie to that guy."

"I don't want you to lie," I retorted. "But leave out a detail or two. Say you found us digging through the dumpster for something we lost and then we found it. That's the truth."

"And when he wants to know what you lost?"

"Why can't you tell him?" Colby interjected. "Terra, don't lie to the guy. You just started dating."

"Klaus is paranoid and overprotective. Come on, he assigned a guard to me without having a real reason!" That I knew of, but seriously, you just couldn't guess with Klaus. "Trust me. It will be a lot easier on us all if we just don't mention this."

"She's got a point," Artie reluctantly admitted. "Like a cat in a rainstorm, that guy."

I had to think quickly. The plan that formed wasn't brilliant, but it was all I had. I started pulling the ring on my finger off. I loved it. I didn't want to do what I was going to do, but Colby was worth it.

He watched me in concern. "Terra, what are you—no!" He made this sort of half-dive to catch the ring as I pitched it into the dumpster. "Are you crazy? That was your grandmother's!"

"I know,"I said grimly. "Let's go in and get it back."

He stared, the enormity of the plan blooming in his head. His jaw worked. Next thing I knew, Colby looped an arm around my shoulders and dragged me into his chest, hugging me like his life depended on it. "You're nuts," he said hoarsely, "but I love you so it's okay."

I wanted to cry at the tears I heard in his voice. A guy like this didn't deserve to be alone in the world, but his parents and family had made a decision he couldn't undo. I wasn't being fake with Klaus; Colby and I were closer than friends and roommates. But I wasn't going to give into the urge, so I sniffed and pushed at him. "Don't get mushy on me, okay? It's late and I want my ring back."

He nodded, eyes a teeny bit glassy in the strange light. "Yeah." Then he sighed. "These are new shoes."

"Tough. I told you what we were up to."

"The love," Artie stated drily, "is thick in the air right now. I may have to watch a chick flick after this. I mean it. Really."

Colby cocked his head. "You're one of those sarcastic dickheads, aren't you."

Artie's answer was a slow, sexy smile. "I'm worth every second, handsome."

"Oh vey," I muttered under my breath. Then, "Make yourself useful, Artie. Give me a boost."

It took ages to find that ring, but in the end we got it and trudged our way back to the apartment. Artie didn't help much beyond practically throwing me into the garbage pile. I could already feel a mild feud building between us. He claimed it was due to his "bodyguard duties" but I knew better. He didn't want to get those pretty duds of his dirty. He even went so far as to order Chinese food while Colby and I were digging.

My only consolation was that he ordered enough for all of us. I didn't think I could eat anything after shifting through that mess, but my growling stomach said otherwise.

We schleped back into the apartment and into our designated bathrooms. I gave Artie the death glare and a pointed finger across the throat behind Colby's back. He was going to stay in that living room or he was mincemeat. No way was I letting him take advantage of my roommate's fragile emotional state.

He arched that sandy brow again. I knew he thought about sticking his tongue out at me, but in the end he stayed where he was. Twenty minutes later we were all at the kitchen table, showered and dressed in clothes that didn't have to be thrown out.

"So," Artie said, clicking his chopsticks in thought. "Ex boyfriend, huh?"

Colby paused. "Yeah."

I chewed my lo mien.

"How long ago did you and this guy break up?"

He was trying to sound professional, but to be honest, I think we all knew he was just fishing for information because he was interested.

I looked at Colby, who was carefully choosing his words. You know, the way people do when they don't want you to think badly about them. "It's been a while. There were some issues after."

I'll say. I glanced at Artie, trying to judge his reaction.

He had a poker face that just couldn't be beat. He'd taken off his jacket and draped it over the back of the chair, revealing a pressed button up with a red bow tie. He'd rolled up his sleeves. He was covered in tattoos. I knew that was somewhat in keeping with the hipster style, but these tattoos were not the artsy kind. They were...how to put it? The kind of stuff that bikers wore. That and the switchblade made for an interesting combination in my hipster/hybrid/definitely gay/possibly bi bodyguard.

I can't say this was how I anticipated my life going this time last week. Klaus swept in and changed everything.

"Left you a lot of dead rats on your doorstep in the past?"

Both Colby and I stiffened. "I don't think I like your tone,"I said. We'd gotten some of that before; people who either thought Colby was making things up or that he'd somehow done something to deserve Dan's wrath.

Artie put down his chopsticks. "Here's the thing, princess. I've been watching you for a few nights now. I trade off with a guy from an evening shift, who trades with a morning shift. Neither of them saw mentioned anything suspicious. I haven't seen anybody carrying a brown package or something big enough to hide it in. Unless this guy had a history of this sort of thing or he lives in the building, the ex story doesn't wash."

We stared at him. "What are you saying? That we're lying?"

He cast me a look. "Princess, please. The rat was real. I'm just telling you that it didn't come from an outside source. It came from inside."

"A neighbor?" Colby didn't sound convinced.

I, on the other hand, was aware that stranger things had happened. Had Colby picked up a stalker? It was a possibility. Unfortunately, so was compulsion.

Once the suspicion took hold it wouldn't let up. People could be compelled to do all sorts of things; had someone been told to leave the package? Why? By whom?

I could see that that's what Artie was trying to say to me.

My appetite disappeared.

"You need to tell Klaus," he concluded, not unkindly.

"I can't,"I protested. "He'll freak."

"He's strong," Artie threw back, "and you and I both know there's stuff up his sleeve no one's ever seen before. He can protect _both_ of you." He jerked his head toward Colby. "Isn't his safety worth a little discomfort?"

Oh, using my roommate against me? That was playing dirty. Suddenly it was me putting the chopsticks down. I scooted back in my chair and left the kitchen, barricading myself in my room. I didn't even worry about leaving Artie and Colby alone. I had a decision to make.

I picked up my phone and hugged it to my chest, pacing back and forth. To tell or not to tell? I wanted open communication between us, but Klaus could go to extreme's at a second's notice. What if he tried to separate me and Colby? What if he tried to put us in a castle somewhere remote?

Well, that last part wouldn't be so bad. I just didn't want to be put in a room that I couldn't get out of again. I'd had enough of being imprisoned for one lifetime, thanks.

It was just one human. Maybe. I could handle that myself. I didn't have to run to Klaus for everything little thing. It's not like I couldn't open a pickle jar alone. I could figure out what to do with a troublesome ex boyfriend without Klaus going postal.

But that wasn't exactly fair, was it? If it was such a tiny problem, why couldn't I just tell him about it?

I let my head fall back and groaned. The truth was that I was afraid it wasn't just some easy to solve problem. I didn't have any enemies, but Klaus did. Lots of them, and most with a supernatural ability of one kind or another. Did I really want to let myself get tangled back up in all that again?

Did I have a choice? Supernatural mumbo jumbo just got worse the longer you ignored it. I didn't want to get caught with my pants down.

There was no avoiding it.

I had to tell him.

I unlocked the phone and dialed his number like the condemned calling the executioner. He picked up on the second ring. "What's wrong?"

"What makes you think something is wrong?" _Smooth, Caroline_. "Okay, scratch that, I know. It's, uh, 1:45 in the morning and I'm calling you. Of course something is wrong. Look, don't freak, okay?"

"Caroline."

One word. That's all it took. "Okay, you know earlier when you came and saw Colby? I was throwing a package away that someone left on our doorstep. While we were gone there was a note pinned to our door, so we went to find the package and there was a dead rat in it." I paused.

Silence. Total, utter, absolute silence.

Not good.

"So Artie said that it probably isn't Colby's ex boyfriend but someone in the building, and now I'm calling you to tell you because you need to know."

The silence continued.

xxxxx

My grip threatened to crush the mobile.

I blinked and inhaled a sharp breath into starving lungs, scraping together my composure with every precise ounce of my will. "Pack your bags. I am coming."

"And Colby?"

I did not give one flying fuck about the ginger roommate. "Bring him. He has half an hour to pack, or he will be left behind."

There was plain relief in her voice. "Okay. Thanks."

I moved to cut off the call.

"Klaus?"

I returned the telephone to my ear.

"I mean it," she said softly. "Thank you."

I nodded, though she had no way of seeing it. "Half an hour, Caroline." With that I disconnected, carefully lowering my arm to rest at my side as I stared unseeing at the lamp. I thought of the high spirits with which I left Caroline's company a few hours earlier. I thought of the muted promises in the museum and the soul baring she treated me to over dinner. My determination to win her. The kisses. The tremulous possibility of a trusting relationship developing between us.

All of that was being threatened.

_Caroline was being threatened._

I swiped out a hand with a roar of rage, the lamp shattering against the opposite wall. Not nearly satisfied with the carnage I picked up the sturdy table beneath with one hand and tossed it after. Wood cracked and split. Plaster feel. A hole appeared in the wall. I was left with a heaving chest and so much pent up violence I shook with it. I wanted destruction. I wanted desecration. I wanted blood and justice. No one harmed Caroline. The mere thought filled me with an unholy fear and fury. There was no time to waste. I had to get to her. I had to see her safe and in my arms.

I yanked my jacket from a chair and strode out of the room, already connecting another call and ordering the car about. It was there in minutes. I bit out instructions and sat back. They knew better than to engage me. They pushed every speed limit to the max and then proceeded to break one law after the other, my glower spurring them on. We arrived much sooner than expected in Caroline's complex, but much too late for my taste. I was out of the car nearly before it stopped, striding up the path and taking the stairs two at a time to reach her floor.

I had called Artie from the car to apprise him of our arrival. He oh-so-efficiently opened the door an instant before I reached it. Instead of entering, I yanked him out by the collar and quickly pressed him to the doorjamb. I pitched my voice too low for humans or Caroline to hear, speaking quickly so as not to keep long from what I really wanted.

"Allow me to make something clear to you, Artie. If harm should come to her, your life will be worthless. If you need proof, I suggest you permit an errant bruise to show up on her skin. See how I react. And just to drive the point home—you know how dangerous I am under normal circumstances. Imagine what losing something precious to me would do."

He listened, his arms out in surrender. "I convinced her to call you. Don't I get a little credit for that?"

"Marginally. It is only because of your loyalty and various skills that I am not taking my rage out on you. You've served me well. I only wish to impart to you the seriousness of your charge. Have I made my point?"

The former street urchin had always shown significantly less fear than the other hybrids. Significantly less gratitude as well. He was smarter than the average, more prepossessed, and yet he didn't have an ounce of ambition to go along with his leadership skills. He would make a superior second in command one day.

If he lived that long.

"I get it, alright? Caroline must be protected. I was on it. She got herself slimed, not shot. I even fed her. I think the brownie points are piling up here, personally."

I glared at my cheeky little apprentice, not at all amused by his flippant attitude.

"Klaus." Suddenly he was earnest. "I get it."

That remained to be seen, but I heard Caroline in the distance and had no choice but to release him. I went in without another glance. She and the redhead were pulling their cases into the living room. I paused. "What's all this?"

The roommate had one large suitcase and a backpack. Caroline had too large suitcases and a duffel. She looked a little embarrassed but relieved at my presence, a combination that soothed my male pride somewhat. I drank her in, looking for any sign that not all was as it should be.

"We don't know how long we'll be gone. I have to work." She patted the top of one suitcase. "It's got everything I need in there to keep my projects going."

And the others? I was hesitant to ask. According to rumor, Caroline skipped Mystic Falls with barely the clothes on her back. Clearly she was not aiming for the nomadic style again. This appeared to be the sort of packing one did when switching residences. That pleased me, taming a bit of the anger that roiled in my chest.

The roommate, on the other hand...

He shifted from foot to foot beneath my regard. "School books," he said, lifting the strap of the backpack from his shoulder for emphasis. He tapped his suitcase with a foot. "Clothes. If it's a big deal, I'll find a hotel or a friend to crash with."

"Don't," Caroline suddenly barked, surprising me. Yet it wasn't myself she was glaring at, it was...Artie?

He had his mouth open, as if to say something, but slowly closed it and favored my lady with a mischievous smirk. "You can't be in the room forever, princess."

"But I _can_ invest in a good shock collar."

"Terra," Colby half-groaned, half-moaned.

"As fascinating as all this is," I interrupted coldly, "I suggest we repair to the car and discuss the situation in better surroundings. Help with the bags," I added to Artie.

The grin that split his face was blinding. "My pleasure." He had Colby's suitcase in hand before anyone could blink, making a show of flexing his muscles. "This way, handsome."

Even I, as old as I am, had no words for the puppy dog devotion that eclipsed Colby's surprise in short order. "I can do it," he protested feebly.

"And shortchange myself of the chance to impress you? No way."

Caroline growled. It was a very sexy, illuminating sound. The moment the two boys left the room she turned on me. "Did you pick Artie on purpose?"

I frowned. "When I received your call, I confess I did not envision this to be our conversation."

"Seriously, are you trying to set Colby up with Tall, Blond, and Hipster?"

"Caroline, my love, do I look like the sort that would take on a Lonely Hearts escapade as a side hobby?"

She eyed me, hands on her hips. "Did you know he was gay?"

"Darling, I would have to be blind to miss it. One cannot paint Artie as the shy type." It was my turn to be suspicious. "Why does it bother you so?" I did not bother to hide my jealousy. She was aware of it; attempting to minimize it would be fruitless.

"Because he is a hybrid, Klaus! I don't want Colby to get any deeper into our world than he already is. He deserves to live a normal life."

I tilted my head. Our world. More and more Caroline included us together, as if we were a unit.

Exactly what I wanted.

For that reason I chose to let my jealousy fizzle out, stepping closer to put my hands on her forearms. "Like it or not, Colby is already involved. If you want me to protect him, we have to keep him close. He might see things we cannot hide. You can either trust him to handle it, or we have take different measures." I leaned in, rubbing her flesh lazily, absorbing the feel of her. She was safe. She was with me. That had to be enough for the moment.

She was mutinous. "I don't like it when you're right."

That coaxed a smile from me, despite myself. "Love, no one likes it when I'm right." I became solemn. "How are you?"

She relaxed. "I'm fine," she admitted. "Worried, slightly freaked, but fine. Thanks for coming."

I searched her face. "Was it ever in doubt?"

The corners of her lips lifted. "You know, it never once occurred to me that you wouldn't be here. The question as always how quick you would be." She arched a brow. "And how massively out of control. But you're doing good. I'm surprised."

If she only knew. "We are going home," I told her quietly, firmly. "You will unpack your things, and that is where you will stay. I will get to the bottom of the situation, and all will be well. I promise." I let her go with great difficulty and reached for her bags.

"Hey Klaus?"

I paused.

She had her thinking expression on. "Come here." She opened her arms.

I straightened slowly, frowning. "What are you doing?"

She rolled her eyes. "It's called offering a hug. Now come here."

"Caroline-"

"This is a limited time offer."

"I am not-"

"Three." She stepped closer.

"If you are suggesting-"

"TWOone!" She threw herself at me. I caught her automatically, and she wrapped her arms around my torso and squeezed with a significant amount of vampire force, her head tucked beneath my chin. I held her, bewildered by her behavior, yet gradually my heartbeat slowed and I relaxed in her embrace.

"There," she said after a minute. "I think that's good. We both needed that." She tried to step back, but I resisted. "Or maybe you more than me."

There were a thousand things I needed more than she. "Do you know why love is a vampire's greatest weakness, Caroline?" I asked as I stroked her hair.

"Why?"

"Because it can be lost, and that possibility is a stark reminder of how truly bleak an existence can be. It drives us to depths we never imagined before." I felt as though I were confessing my soul to her, allowing her to see how frightening I found the situation.

And how frightening I could be.

She reached up and patted my cheek. "I'm here, Klaus. Now let's go home."

There was a level of hesitation in her voice that I was not immune to. She found the thought of my home intimidating. Perhaps even my level of devotion, in some degree, equally so.

No matter. We would move forward.

Always forward.

I could not allow anything else.

**To Be Continued...**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

The insomnia has worn off, thank goodness. Thanks for everyone's concern and suggestions, as well as all the reviews!

What do you think of Artie? I kinda dig him. I don't plan my stories ahead of time. I just sit down and write one day, whatever comes into my head, and when he showed up I was pleasantly surprised.


	13. Chapter 13

I gaped at the townhouse. This was...

"Whoa," Colby exhaled from the front seat.

Yeah, and that barely described it. I've only seen stuff like this on television, usually involving castles of the American variety. I didn't even know places like this existed in the city.

It was a little out of the limits, with a strip of green between it and the street. There was a sidewalk outside, demarcated by an honest to God wrought iron fence. The house itself was big and rectangular, a gray old man with a lot of life in him still. We drove under a large stone arch that had two massive iron doors open for us. The road went around to the back, which revealed a big manicured lawn, lined by a high stone wall. There was even a tennis court, the old kind I had seen in pictures from the 1920s.

The SUV pulled to a stop. Artie and the other hybrid pulled in behind us, their car full with our stuff. I took in the terrace and hedges, the shuttered windows and the designs carved over each. The lanterns scattered here and there created a soft atmosphere even at 2:30 in the morning. There were flower motifs, a watering can, and I thought I saw a snail. Whoever built this house clearly loved gardening. "This is incredible," I breathed.

Klaus said nothing. He hadn't spoken a word during the entire drive. He didn't even hold my hand once. He just made noises or stared ahead, a dark expression on his face. The longer we drove the more convinced I became he was imagining all kinds of horrible torture for whoever'd sent that package.

To be honest, I was actually okay with that. Not only did he not explode in rage when he found out what happened, he didn't even yell at Colby when he came over. If he'd acted totally fine with everything, I'd wonder who'd stolen his body. In our world, that's a legit concern. Look what Klaus did to Alaric and Tyler.

But this was progress.

_Then again, the night's not done yet._

That reminder prompted me out of my awed stupor and I reached for the door handle. I didn't even have two feet on the ground before Artie was there, opening Colby's door for him with a flourish. "After you, handsome," he practically purred, flashing a grin so blatantly sexy I thought I'd go blind.

I slammed my door shut and propped my hands on my hips.

Artie winked at me.

He either had a death wish or wasn't taking my commitment to Colby seriously enough. Part of me admired his determination. Colby needed someone stubborn and well-intentioned in his life. Thus far that position had been filled by yours truly.

People who didn't know me would say that I just didn't want to give up top dog place to someone new. Maybe that was true. Essentially I wanted what was best for Colby, but not for one second did I believe that 'best' was me. I was not nor would ever be in love with him. He needed the kind of love that would show him he was worth tons more than what his parents or Dan dealt out. Meaningless sex could only give him so much.

So when he got out of the car, starstruck adoration on his face, I faltered for a half-second. It was like a shot to the heart. See? That was the reason he needed someone to love him. The horndog was swooning and he'd just met this guy.

A guy he didn't know anything about. A guy who had more secrets than Colby could ever imagine.

I looked away. God, we were in too deep and we'd just barely scratched the surface of what could come.

Klaus appeared at my side, meeting my eyes without a word. He held out an arm. I suppose it was his way of saying he was ready to be touched, that he trusted himself to be back in the moment. I smiled weakly at the gesture, but I slid my hand into the crook without hesitation.

_Here goes nothing._

Our footsteps crunched softly through the beige gravel, the air remarkably quiet. We weren't that far from the city limits, and there were neighbors on either side. I would have thought there would still be some residual noise, but it was like time stopped here. It reminded me a little of Mystic Falls, actually. It was more of the feeling than the place, of course, since for a while there it felt like nothing ever changed in my little town. It was the same cycle of drama and disappointment, just with a new face every once in a while.

I had to leave to get anywhere.

My gaze slid to Klaus' profile. Who knew anywhere would be here, with this man?

From this angle I could really appreciate his looks. I would have even been willing to admit that I found him a little beautiful. It was the man underneath, though, that came to get me in my hour of need. Just the thought of it made me smile a little. You'd think the man had never been hugged before.

Maybe he hadn't been.

My smile faded.

We walked up the terrace steps and approached the French doors. Klaus leaned out and snagged the handle, stepping aside so that I could go in.

Holy Toledo.

Dark wood floors. Grey oversized furniture with purple pillows, perfect for curling up in front of a real fireplace that took up a corner. Modern lamp fixtures. Paintings on the wall. "Are those yours?"

"What, he paints too?" Colby asked from behind us.

"I am a man of many talents," Klaus replied easily, his gaze on me. "Do you like it?"

I looked around. "Yeah," I said, surprised. "I do." And I did. There was plenty of room, but not so big that I would feel lost in the open floor plan. I loved the touches of old and new mixed together. It was classy but modern, and you could have knocked me over with a feather when I saw the wall details. Gorgeous stuff. "What's the rest of it like?"

He smiled for the first time in hours. "I'll show you." His hand curled over mind, which was still nestled in the crook of his arm. "Artie, do show Colby to his room."

"Sure thing." Artie brushed by us faster than a speeding bullet. "Let's go, handsome."

Colby was after him in a heartbeat. If I didn't know better I'd say he had latent vampire blood. They disappeared into the softly lit hall before I could stop them. I took a step forward but Klaus held me back. "Not now, darling. Let the lovebirds be."

"Not a chance," I retorted.

Klaus slid his arm about my waist and deftly turned me around. I followed his lead automatically, doing the one two twist to the side with ease. "I want to talk," he said, his smile gone.

Oh. I searched his face. There wasn't a trace of teasing. That didn't bode well. "Okay."

He led me out of the room and into an entry hall of sorts. There was a series of rooms on the ground floor that I didn't get to see, but we went up the carved wood stairs to the second floor. Klaus turned right and kept going until he got to the end, where there was an extra-wide door. Everything I saw was done up in tastes of different eras. It worked somehow. Whoever decorated the place had an eye for details. Nothing was out of place. Nothing was gaudy. That took talent.

The door was made of wood just like everything else, with the doorknob in the middle of a medallion in the center, rather than on the side. He gave it a twist and led me through.

Just like everything else, the master bedroom was tastefully done. It was set up to be part bedroom, part sitting room, with a wall of big windows. There were plants everywhere, giving it a homey feel.

"Wow," I said after getting a good look at the bed. "Couldn't find a bigger one?"

"I was fond of it, so I brought it over from my previous residence." He shut the door.

That's when it hit me. I was in Klaus' bedroom. At night. With no one to distract me from the fact.

My brain threatened to go blank, but I rallied my courage despite being extremely uncomfortable all of a sudden. I clasped my hands in front of me. "So. What did you want to talk about?"

The room was shadowed, lit only by a lamp or two, highlighting the angles of his face. He looked hard and harsh, his eyes glittering a bit. "Come with me to the balcony," he said.

Why? I wanted to ask. But I didn't. I just followed him outside. The balcony was huge, made of steady stone that gave me a breathtaking view of the grounds. It must have looked stunning in daylight. It seemed to go on forever. Below us the hybrids unloaded the last of the bags before disappearing into the house, presumably to drop everything off.

Klaus stood quietly, watching the proceedings with one hand on the rail. We were high enough up to be hidden from view, the balcony built so that people couldn't see who was standing there from below. Our voices would carry, though, making me wonder why he'd chosen this spot for a chat.

As I waited for him to talk, I glanced up, admired the stone work. There must have been a third floor, maybe a big, awesome attic, full of treasures. I was dying to explore, but I think I was also nervous about what Klaus had to say. I've never known his silence to be good. He was less than a foot away, his body angled to mine, and I couldn't tell anything from his expression.

Finally he spoke. "If Artie had not discovered you, would you have told me of the package?"

Damn.

I traced an invisible pattern on the rough rock. "I really didn't know you would react. But I didn't purposefully keep it hidden," I rushed to add. "I had no idea it was even anything." I could feel him look at me, but I kept my eyes averted.

"I am not asking if you have been keeping secrets, Caroline. I am asking if you _would have kept them_."

I met his gaze. "Yes," I confessed softly. "I asked Artie to lie to you, but he wouldn't do it. Then I realized he was right. If I wanted you to be honest with me, I had to be honest with you." I didn't try to defend myself, even though I felt terrible about it now that I'd picked a path.

His jaw worked and his nostrils flared. "I see."

My shoulders sagged a little. "It wasn't right, and I'm sorry." I pushed my hair out of my face. "I thought you'd lock me up in a tower somewhere and throw away the key." I tried to lighten the situation with a little laugh to inject some humor, but his next words stopped that dead.

"I might yet."

My hand paused, tangled around a strand. "What?"

He was as serious as I'd ever seen him, and that was saying something. A cold blanket came over me. "Don't say that," I told him. "I don't even want to joke about it."

I silently willed him to take the out I was giving him. Nobody needed to tell me how far Klaus could go, but it was one thing to think a thing. It was another to have him confirm it.

He didn't so much as blink. "You are mistaken if you think this is a joke."

I exhaled a shaky breath. "Klaus, I know you think that you'd be doing something good, but trust me, you wouldn't. Don't take that path with me, okay?"

He took one decisive step in my direction, cutting the space between us in half. " _I will not have you in danger_ ," he growled.

"I'm not! I called you. I did exactly what I promised; I told you when something was wrong and we're dealing with it. That's good!"

"Asking Artie to lie to me on your behalf is not doing what you promised. It is deceit and I will not tolerate it, Caroline."

"I had a moment of doubt, okay? Yes, I was wrong. I know that. I'm even the first to admit it. I'm sorry. I can't do anything other than apologize for a thought I had. Remember those mistakes I was talking about? Didn't you make one of those today? Hell, two of them this week alone?"

"Neither of those put you in peril," he spat.

I exhaled, raising my hands. "Are you angry at me, or are you angry at the situation? Because I really can't tell right now."

"Let me give you a word of warning, my love, and listen very carefully. Keep secrets from me again, and there will be consequences. Is that understood?"

My brows snapped together. "Is that a threat?"

"Oh, I think we both recognize a promise for what it is."

"And what exactly would those consequences be, Klaus? You won't see me for a week?" I narrowed my eyes. "Or locking me up in a tower?"

His mouth thinned.

That was all I needed to know. "This is exactly what I thought would happen. You are totally overreacting."

He blinked, that word snapping up his attention like a shot in the dark. "Overreacting?"

xxxxx

Caroline's accusation unraveled the tenuous hold I had on my emotions.

I pierced her with my gaze. "You have no idea how patient I have been with you. Or how lucky you have been thus far."

She paused, her head cocked. She didn't like that, not at all. She would like the next even less, I thought without a shred of mercy. "Had I my way, Caroline, you would be safe, my bird in a nest of my making, with nothing and no one able to touch you."

"That's not a life," she retorted immediately. Her bravery was unflagging in the face of my honesty, but she was not unaffected. Oh no, her pale face was testament to that, her eyes large and liquid in the evening light.

I advanced, the sole of my shoe scraping on the balcony's floor. She stood her ground, her chin lifting, but her hand gave her away. It gripped the stone railing as thought she was afraid to leave herself unbalanced in my presence. "That is what they have taught you," I told her, "but had you been born more than a mere two decades ago, my love, this story would have gone very differently."

We were sharing air and breath and space, and it was far, far too much distance between us. I was reminded of the night of the ball, when Caroline wore the blue gown I had gifted her. She was prickly and guarded then. Unyielding and yet so captivating.

What a fool I was. I fancied Caroline. I fancied the idea of adding her to my collection even more. My mistake was in being curious. I asked questions. I observed. I cataloged. Before I knew it, I was so lost in all I had learned that I had forgotten to keep myself detached. By then it was too late. I wanted more. I needed more.

Caroline sparked a passion in me that had never before been engaged. It was not the romantic, dull-witted, understanding, fairy tale version of love. It was obsession. It would always be obsession. The sort that cannot be appeased but must be fed, or it would consume both myself and her.

Love. A dark, dangerous emotion for creatures as powerful as we. It pains. It tortures and it agonizes, and yet at the same time it robs a person of all desire to eradicate it.

I cannot count the number of times I sought to shut it off, to rid myself of that hole in my chest that refused to fill up. Love, that pervading bastard, caused my innermost self to rebel. There would be no cutting of the string I had tied between Caroline and I. Therefore I was left with but one option: to strengthen the cord, to tighten and wind it around us both until neither could escape.

"Were this two hundred, three hundred years ago, Caroline, do you think I would have waited two years to have you like this? Do you honestly believe I would have bargained or cajoled? Your father is dead, your mother a respected member of society but alas, with no real power or property. There is no one— _no one_ —who would have prevented me taking you." I lowered my head, gaze fixed on hers. "Not even you."

I roughly cupped my hand to her cheek. She jumped a little, her breath catching at my touch. "You would have been in my house, in my bed, all mine, before you could so much as find your bearings."

"Just a thing," she challenged me softly. "You wouldn't have given a damn about me any more than you give a damn about anything else." She raised her chin, ignoring the fact that I could hear her pounding heart. "And FYI, telling me all of this does not make me view you in a good light."

I raised my brow in mock surprise. "No? You did demand honesty, after all. I'm merely telling you that which remains the truth. Times have changed. Societies have risen and fallen, but I am essentially the same man I have always been: possessive, jealous, covetous, and willing to do what it takes to get what I want."

She caught my wrist. "There's such a thing as too much information."

My anger and frustration flared to new heights. "And there is also such a thing as too little," I bit out.

In one smooth move I had her pressed to the solid railing, my thumb hooked under her chin to force her into maintaining eye contact. Our bellies, hips, and chests were pressed in such an intimate a manner as clothes would allow, and of course it was not enough. Only skin to skin would satisfy me, if only for a while. "The next time you think of leaving me out of your problems, my love, remember this: allowing you your modern freedom is a struggle that I tangle with daily. The very idea of you alone and vulnerable brings the old days to mind with perfect clarity."

I spared her nothing; no detail, no notion that would startle her contemporary ideal. No, I bared every single raw thought I harbored. "Were this indeed a bygone era I would have you so tightly bound to me that you would never dream of another life. I would care for you, clothe you, protect you, show you a world you had never seen before. I would have you naked beneath me, screaming my name until you were hoarse, and had you been human, Caroline, I would have gotten you with child as quickly as physically possible."

She sucked in a breath sharply, horror darkening her eyes. "How could you even consider that? That's-"

I cut her off. "Selfish? Despicable? I wouldn't have cared." I cupped her face with my remaining hand, grim and determined. "You would have known to whom you belonged then. My lady. My child. Both with me forever."

"And what about me?" she argued. "What about my thoughts and feelings and wants?" Anger was rekindling, and outrage as well. She tried to break my hold with a firm on my chest. She failed. Utterly. "Let go, you jerk!"

"Do not," I warned her sharply. She stopped, her eyes widening at my tone. "You know better than anyone what drives this."

"That doesn't mean it's right."

"Right or wrong, I don't care. These precious rules and ideals of yours are fleeting and changeable. In a few hundred years a new idea will crop up and everything you knew will become _wrong_ too. The only thing that will not change is you, and that is what I am endeavoring to press upon you." I brought my face in low, our mouths but a whisper apart. "I fight with myself every moment of the day to give you what you want. It makes you happy, and my desire to please you only fractionally outweighs my need to keep you safe. Do not tempt the scales, Caroline. Keep me informed. Allow me to be involved, or one false move will tip the balance in a way you may not forgive."

She was panting, her cheeks scarlet even in that low light. She swallowed, searching my face. "Sometimes I can't tell if you're threatening me," she said at length, "or saying you love me."

My gaze devoured hers. "You are strong enough to handle both." With that I was finished with speaking altogether. I took her mouth, kissing her with a ferocity that bordered on violence. I conquered it as I longed to have dominion over her, absolutely and without worry of reprisal. My fingers threaded with her hair, locking her to me in a way that mocked my anger.

To my utter astonishment, she kissed me back. Caroline, glorious kisser that she was, stormed through my defenses and left me utterly in her wake, taking control and subverting my intentions. Suddenly it was I on the receiving end, stumbling under her intensity.

She broke away, chest rising and falling rapidly. "Don't try to control me," she warned. "It won't get you anywhere."

"Does nothing get through that stubborn head of yours?" I flared, tightening my grip. Why did she provoke me so?

"Oh, lots of things do," she shot back. "Like what you're really afraid of."

I paused, hostile but wary.

"You're terrified of losing me," she declared. "You think if you're not there to protect me, then I'm a sitting duck." She glared at me. "Well, I've got news for you, Klaus. I'm just fine protecting myself, and the only way you're going to lose me is if you ever think you can keep me under lock and key."

Suddenly her hands were sliding over my cheeks, gently but firmly pulling me closer. "Okay?" she finished softly, stroking my skin with her thumbs. "So calm down. I'm here."

The air left my lungs in a trembling rush, causing my shoulders to sag and all the muscles in my body to weaken. I closed my eyes, concentrating on keeping my composure. She took advantage of me then, drawing me closer until my forehead rested on hers. "I know it's hard," she said, "and I know you want more than anything to keep me safe."

She turned her head and pressed kisses to my cheekbone. "Thank you for wanting to make me happy."

She was killing me, I thought wildly. Murdering me with soft kindness.

When she wrapped her arms around my neck and urged me to rest my head on her shoulder, I nearly resisted. I had exposed far too much that evening. I had to get away, to reestablish my equilibrium. I had intended to browbeat her into submission, to impart how different reality could be. Instead I found myself clutching her close, my arms dropped to wrap around her torso. I squeezed her close, my nose buried beneath her ear, breathing her in.

She stroked the back of my head, echoing her actions from hours ago. The need was the same. The position nearly so. My motivation...too disparate for words.

I knew Caroline believed everything I had told her to be true. I also knew that she believed that it was a point on which we could negotiate. That there was a magic balance that we could find, in which my need and her desire would be sated. The trouble and beauty of Caroline was that she failed to understand the finer points of obsession.

I hoped to the deepest part of my soul that I would never be forced to teach her better. And yet I knew that hope was futile. "Caroline."

She hummed, the sound as alluring as any I have ever heard.

"Stay with me tonight."

**To Be Continued**

* * *

**Author's Note:** Thanks to all who take the time to read _and_ comment on this story. You're great! There isn't much point in posting this story for public viewing if there are no reviews!


	14. Chapter 14

I was stunned speechless by Klaus' request.

Even more astonishing—I was tempted.

It was a humbling realization, really. I'd always considered Klaus sinfully attracted. Emphasis on the _sin_. A girl would have to be blind to miss it. More than once in school I had to literally steel my knees from dissolving into a puddle when he smiled in that way of his. I just thought that the last two years had meant something, you know? Changed me. Made it easier to resist his dark charm. That's maturity, right?

I inhaled, trying to steady my heartbeat.

I guess I was wrong. Growing older didn't do a damn thing except open my eyes to worlds and worlds of gray.

Klaus scared the freakin' crap out of me when I was seventeen. He was even more frightening now—because I was swayed. Really, really swayed.

I curled my fingers around his nape, burying them deeper in the curls, ultra aware of every part of him pressed against me.

He must have sensed my indecision, because he lifted his head just slightly, turning it so his forehead rested on my temple. "Why?"

I didn't pretend to misunderstand. "So fast," I said. "I'm afraid we'll mess up."

Seconds ticked by. "You mean you haven't come to terms with our relationship yet."

I stiffened. Was he mad? I mean, it was my choice and all, but this is Klaus and we just had an intense discussion that scared the blond off of me. I think I had a right to be wary.

"There is a part of you, Caroline, that is still holding yourself out of reach." His hand slid up my back to rest between my shoulders. "Old fears and all that."

"Old?" Pretty recent, if you asked me. I used to be afraid of his grayness. I still am. He's not wrong. The bit holding me back now, though, was the awareness a woman doesn't get until she's been around the block. I could now recognize a cliff when I see it, whereas before I could only vaguely imagine it. Klaus was the cliff. Feelings were the edge. Tipping over would be terrifying and irrevocable.

I drew back, ready to get some distance between us. A tiny, itty bitty distance, yes, but even that was apparently too much for him. His arms constricted to the point of squeezing the air out of me. "Oh!" I grabbed hold of his shoulder. "Okay, too tight."

He grunted in disagreement. It sounded a lot like a dog blowing out a breath in disgust. Or being denied a treat.

The image made me smile a little, despite the situation. "We just had a fight. Lots of emotions. I don't think jumping into bed and the whole sex aspect is what we're ready for."

"I am emotionally fragile," he countered. "You should take advantage of me."

Now _that_ made me laugh. "You've never been emotionally fragile in your life. And that's a freakishly long record."

He relaxed a bit, clearly reading my signals for what they were. His hold loosened. "You're wrong," he said with a rueful tone. He lifted his head and stared a bit over my shoulder, lips pursed.

I suddenly remembered his father and all the times someone took one of his hybrids. Even the night Kol died. That made me feel bad.

I bit my lip, contrite. "Sometimes it's easy to forget you aren't the bastion of stone walls you project," I admitted. It was the closest I could come to an apology without making this any more awkward. Still, it didn't feel like enough, so I lifted a thumb and petted his jaw with it.

Blue eyes returned to me with laser precision. Klaus had an ability to make me feel like I was the center of the universe. The more time I spent with him, the more I realized that wasn't just a flirtation tactic. This very complicated, very old, very unstable guy was not playing around with me.

Back in Mystic Falls, it was easy to convince myself that he just wanted to add me to his collection. Notch on his belt, that kind of thing. I had too much respect for myself to be that. Maybe the old Caroline would have done it, but vampire Caroline had a lot of other issues to deal with, like life and death. Once you overcome torture and werewolves and deadly bites, meaningless sex to get someone to like you isn't all that appealing anymore.

That reasoning didn't work here, now, two years later. I'd gone through a change even newbie vampire Caroline was too timid to contemplate. I survived. Hell, you could say I thrived. I was proud of that. I knew myself to be worthy of a lot more than a whirlwind romance with the eternal bad boy.

With that evolution came the realization that Klaus valued me as much as I valued myself. Weirdly enough, maybe more. I meant something to him.

Talk about pressure. It was a delicate dance, toeing this line that we had between us.

The conversation we just had should have scared me off. I won't lie; I thought about it very seriously for a second. But that brought me back to the original point (no pun intended): Klaus valued me. That meant he valued my input, my opinion. That's why, as twisted as his internal reasoning was, he "let" me have my freedom.

He was right. A century or two ago this would have gone differently. I had to remember that he was a man of the time.

Luckily, though, this was not a century or two ago. This was now, and no matter what he said, these were the principles I was going to stick with.

Otherwise the last two years were worthless, and I'd die before I let that become the truth. So maybe growing older didn't do much in the way of resisting his charms, but you know what? It did wonders for helping me to stick with my guns.

He caught the direction my thoughts were going and his gaze turned shrewd. "Shall we compromise?"

I cocked a brow. "Do you know how?"

"You would be amazed by some of the things I know, my love."

Dirty entendre. Not the first time he'd used it, but definitely the first time I'd ever felt words shoot right to my—uh, woman's place.

Oh hell. Let's just call it what it was. My pussy.

I shifted, clearing my throat and praying he couldn't see the way my cheeks were flushing. _Geez, Caroline, get it together!_ "I'm listening," I managed to say in a cool voice. Calm, professional.

Totally not fooling him for a second.

His eyes grew hooded. His palm slid from my shoulders to the small of my waist, molding over my hip in a way that was definitely not platonic. "Stay with me tonight."

"I believe that was the proposal I originally shot down," I retorted pertly. "You suck at this compromising thing."

"Ah, but this time my offer involves a great deal less skin and more intimacy." He tapped my hip with a scolding finger. "Unfortunately."

"Uh huh." He wasn't fooling me any more than I had fooled him. "You know what I think? That old adage about the inch and the mile?"

"Elijah is not the only Original that is a man of his word," he replied, clearly scenting blood. "Or perhaps this is a matter of distrusting yourself."

I pause in the middle of reaching for his hand and removing it. "Excuse me?"

"I do recall several conversations regarding the building a relationship between us. From my understanding that involves shows of trust in order to foster intimacy. Intimacy includes a sense of connection." He lifted his hand and ran his finger up my side. "I would have thought you'd welcome the chance to strengthen our bond, Caroline. Could it be that you don't wish to test your own limits?"

Oh ho. I ran my tongue over my bottom lip. Going to pull that card, was he? "You know, Klaus, _I_ seem to remember telling you I was too smart for you to seduce me." I picked up both of his hands, stepped back, and let them go like they were a couple of rags. "That's truer now than it ever was."

I tapped my own chest. "You aren't the only one that has picked up a thing or two over time. I'm a queen, and you're going to treat me like one."

He smiled, all charm and pride. "I'm trying."

I flipped my hair over my shoulder imperiously. "Try harder." I planted my hands on my hips. "Where's my room?"

He stepped over to the stone railing and leaned both elbows back on it, regarding me lazily. Like a giant cat ready to pounce, if I was honest. "That would depend to which room you are referring."

I narrowed my eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Well, the one I originally intended for you, replete with dungeon atmosphere—as you'll recall—is naturally in the basement."

I experienced a hot/cold feeling rush over me like a tsunami.

His smile deepened. "The platonic, courtship version is somewhere on the same floor as mine." He crossed his ankles. "But I find I rather fancy the idea of you sleeping in my bed, a glorious mess of tangled hair and languid relaxation." At that he hummed. "What to do?"

I was still stuck on the first piece of information. "That room exists?"

"Of course it does, darling. One never knows." He tilted his head, eyes dropping to caress my throat. "A diamond necklace this time, I think. A very large, brilliant piece that clasps that delicate column and covers your very attractive chest, dripping a diamond...just...there."

I couldn't help it—I reached up and covered that spot between my breasts protectively, my breath coming in shorter pants. He didn't even touch me. What the hell?

Klaus seemed to stretch without moving, drawing attention to his well-formed body under the modern clothes he was wearing. "I would adore painting you like that. Wearing my necklace, a blindfold, my shackles...and nothing else." He breathed in. "You would be magnificent."

In a few short sentences he took the reins from me and had them tied in a neat bow. He just—I couldn't—I had to get out of there.

Caroline Forbes is no coward.

But as I turned around and speed-walked my way off of the balcony and into his room, I had to admit she knew the value of a strategic retreat.

* * *

I chuckled throatily as Caroline beat a hasty path away from me, her delicious ass swaying in a way I could watch forever. Vampire flashing would have seemed too obvious, of course. Caroline would never allow herself to show a weakness such as that. But I had rattled her most thoroughly, and I planned to do even more before the dawn.

I kicked away from the balcony and followed at a more leisurely pace. "Where are you going, love?"

"Away," was all she said.

"I'm disappointed. I had rather hoped for a stinging retort to kick off another one of our delightful conversations."

She grabbed the doorknob located in the center of the wood. "Right, so you can get one of your rough sex jollies from it? No way."

I flashed to her side, stopping the door with a firm hand, my mouth close enough to kiss her neck.

She froze like a doe that sensed the wolf.

My front to her back, her skin this close, was the perfect impetus for all manner of provocative images. "Rough sex not your style, love? I can be gentle upon occasion."

"My preferred sex is not up for discussion." She pulled on the door insistently.

I did not move. "Really? I would think that the topic perfect. Is that not one of those relationship milestones touted all over the internet?" I bent my arm, brushing past her to rest my shoulder on the door.

She eyed me. "How would you know that?"

"Forewarned is forearmed," I quipped.

She pursed her lips. "Did Rebekah leave the browser open?"

I merely smiled. "Stay. Talk to me."

"I think that's enough talking for one night. Now move."

"I'm afraid you're mistaken; we haven't talked a'tall."

"Did I imagine everything that just happened then?"

"The first bit was a spat. You should be well acquainted with those by now."

She snorted.

"The second was a confession. A necessary growing point."

Her gaze flickered tellingly.

"The third was you asserting your position. The fourth was me voicing my desire to immortalize you via a paint brush."

"Right." Her tone was dry; her cheeks flushed. "Naked."

I shrugged. "Every artist has a different method. But never once tonight have we engaged in a normal conversation. I want that," I state baldly. No use hiding that from her. I decided to further my honesty. "I missed you."

"You saw me a few hours ago." But she was softer, less resistant.

"It wasn't enough."

"You've had me here for a while."

Again I say, "Not enough."

She slowly released the doorknob, gaze probing. "What is enough, Klaus?"

I grew serious. "I don't know. I suspect it will take eternity to find out." I took a chance, using one long forefinger to reach out and wrap around hers, linking us tenuously. "Talk to me, Caroline. Give me some measure of peace of mind."

That, more than anything, seemed to settle with her. Her muscles relaxed, and she sighed just the tiniest bit. "Alright, Klaus. We'll talk for a little while." She faux-glares. "But no funny stuff."

I made no promises, but I silently acknowledged her stance with a squeeze. I pushed away from the door and led her to the couch. It was overstuffed and comfortable, enfolding her easily. She looked right, as if she belonged. She ought; I chose the piece with her in mind. Occasionally my artistic eye was good for more than painting.

I stood back and shrugged off my jacket. I was keenly aware of Caroline noticing the movement. Perhaps I would eventually admit that I flexed, just a little, for her attention. She eyed my black t-shirt intently as I tossed the jacket over the loveseat. I felt her eyes on my back as I skirted the coffee table to turn on a few lamps. They chased away the shadows and bathed her in a cozy glow.

Once again I was struck by how beautiful she was. The physical beauty was undeniable, but that would have faded with time. What drew me to Caroline was not the blonde hair or the blue eyes. It was her laugh. It was her smile. It was her character.

I could not help the pride that stabbed me for finally, finally having her in my home. If not in my bed, I still had her in my lair. I enjoyed the way she kicked off her shoes to get more comfortable, tucking her jean-covered legs upon the cushions and curled to her sides. I took in the sight at a glance before I swept up a throw blanket from the opposite couch arm. I came to stand next to her. "Move."

She was confused.

Rather than waste the precious words I wanted to exchange with her, I stooped and lifted her into my arms effortlessly. She gasped and threw her arms around my neck. Before she could protest I sat again.

I was beneath her, back to the couch arm. I settled her back to my front again, cradled against me as I spread the blanket over us to ward off the chill. "That's better."

She lay against me, stiff as a board. "By what definition?"

I chuckled. "Relax, Caroline. No clothes are going to come off." For now. I did enjoy keeping her on her toes, though.

She rolled her head on my chest until she was able to give me one of her patented looks.

I smiled and brushed the hair out of her eyes. "Now. What shall we talk about?"

"Are you serious?"

"Deadly." My tone was light. My expression was not. "I like talking to you. I confess that I have always been curious what it would be like to while away the hours on a conversation with you."

"You sound like a TV movie."

"One must get one's inspiration where one can."

She laughed. It was a husky, smoky sound, and I loved it. "Every day gets more and more surreal with you." She sighed, and just like that, her body relaxed against mine. Every plane, every muscles, nestled against my own.

It was absurdly satisfying.

She stayed silent for a few moments, thoughts elsewhere. I was content to wait, stroking her hair absently as I memorized the feel of her. How impossible this had seemed not long ago. Caroline did an extraordinary job eluding me. Too good. The consequence of which would never to be entirely revealed to her. I would let her believe that my increased desire for her safety, my struggle to give her freedom, was the extent of the matter.

There was no need to elaborate how far I would go to keep her with me. Who I would kill to make that happen. Too much had already been revealed tonight.

"What were you doing when I called you?"

I blinked, returning to the moment. "I was reading."

"What?"

"It was a book called _1776_ by a fellow named McCullough. He presents history in the form of a story so as to interest his audience in an otherwise dull topic."

"And? Did it work?"

"It was...different," I settled on at last. But I was not interested in another history lesson. We had had enough of that already. "Tell me about the box."

"There's not much to tell. I already said everything on the phone, really."

"Indulge me, my love."

"There used to be this crazy ex boyfriend," she admitted.

"Yours?" I struggled to hide the silky menace behind the words.

Another look. "As I said on the phone," she emphasized, "it was Colby's ex."

Ah. The ginger roommate. More trouble than he was worth, in my opinion. Unfortunately Caroline didn't inquire after my opinion. "Go on."

"It was bad for a while. I had to step in and pull some vampire voodoo on the jackass. Scared him off." She sounded terribly proud of the fact. Vicious Caroline. "Anyway, he wasn't beyond leaving a dead rat to terrorize Colby, but Artie pointed out that what he's seen didn't match up. The rest I guess is something you should ask Artie about."

"Oh, I intend to," I assured her. "I will clear up this mess. You have my word."

She waited a beat. "Thank you. I hate to admit it, but I'm glad I have you in my corner on this."

I stopped playing with her hair. "Truly?"

She turned in my arms, shoulder to my chest. "Of course." She tilted her head. "I'm totally capable of doing it myself, you know, but sometimes I can admit that things are over my head." She reached up and stroked my stubble with the flat of her hand. "So, like I said, thank you."

I was too touched to say anything. I simply reached up and held her hand in place, absorbing every miniscule degree of warmth she embodied.

She sighed again, thinking something I had no way of guessing at. Then she leaned in and pressed her lips to mine in the softest, gentlest kiss we have ever exchanged.

Before I could react further—before I could even drag my mind from the haze—she pulled back and rested her head on my chest, her ear where my heartbeat would be.

I stared down at her head, speechless. Then, because I could not do otherwise, I enfolded her into my arms and held her tight, squeezing my eyes closed to battle the riotous emotions that struggled to the surface. It was so easy for her to do this to me. I should have been ashamed. Part of me was. The other was an animal that knew nothing but pleasure, a connection that was fathoms deep and as raw as a wire exposed to water.

"This is actually kind of nice," she commented, stifling a yawn. "Oh! Sorry. Guess I'm more tired than I thought. Maybe I should get going-"

My arms flexed.

"Or not." I felt the rush of breath she released. "I don't know what to do with you."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Love me." It was a short, quick declaration. I, the most powerful creature on the planet, did not have courage for more.

The hand I had forgotten rested on my abdomen lifted and fell in quick succession. Was she... patting me? The idea seemed ludicrous, yet conferred all manner of things. "One day, Klaus," Caroline said softly. "Don't worry about it so much."

A short laugh escaped me. "What a ridiculous thing to say." Yet I was not derisive. I was—ah, I did not know what I was. Disappointed? Lovesick? A fool?

"Yet totally true. One day is better than never, right?"

I once claimed that she would should up at my door, either in a year or a century, and at the time I was satisfied with the wait. It was logical, given the parameters. Tyler Lockwood was still a figure, if not a rival, in her affections. The dynamics between myself and Caroline had changed drastically since that day. Now the only obstacle was Caroline.

Or perhaps that was all that ever stood between us.

"I wonder, Caroline, if you fully understand what it is I need from you," I said into the shadows.

"Better than you do." Drowsiness has lowered her defenses. Her voice is languid, her words slurring bit by bit.

"Oh?"

"Love. Acceptance. Somebody to hold onto at night. Safety." Her breathing had deepened, illustrating how completely unaware she was of the impact her words had on me.

I was rigid, unable and unwilling to move. To have my vulnerabilities laid out so plainly, discussed as if they were nothing, rocked me to my core. I resisted the urge to shush her, to block out the words that anyone might here, and yet I did not. No, I was captured, drawn in, straining to hear what else Caroline might know of me.

For she was right. Painfully, devastatingly right.

My pulse rolled sluggishly along. "Safety?" The word sounded strangled, coming from me.

"Mmmhmm."

To my horror, tears pricked my eyes. I was reminded of the second time I bit her, when she lay on the Gilbert's couch, bloodied and breathing shallow, telling me that I was in love with her.

Telling me that she knew my secret.

That I could be saved.

I let out a long, shaky breath, grateful she cannot see what she has done to me. "What makes you say that?"

"Hugs. You squeeze. You're afraid."

I realized how tightly I was holding her. I tried to let go, but could not. Would not.

She snuggled against me. "Tired."

"Then sleep." I blinked, cursing the wetness still plaguing my eyes.

"Going to stay. 'K?"

It took a moment to interpret. "Yes, Caroline. Stay."

I needed her to.

It was as if she were waiting for my permission. Her breathing evened out, and there was no doubt in my mind that Caroline had fallen asleep in my arms. She left me sitting in the shadows, half in and half out of the darkness, struggling with a myriad of feelings that were swollen in my throat.

I felt trapped and free all at once, a curious combination that only Caroline could truly invoke.

Minute after minute ticked by. I listened to her sleeping. I stroked her arm. I struggled to sort through whatever it was that was choking the life out of my heart. It was heavy. Burdensome. It threatened to crush me beneath its breadth.

I was suddenly flooded with a certainty that there was only one way, one very specific way, to alleviate the pressure.

Carefully, I bent my head, my nose tickled by the wisps of her hair. "I..." I stopped, swallowing. "Caroline."

She did not move. Did not stir.

"I..." This nervousness was infuriating! I was Klaus Mikelson. The Hybrid. The bloody king of them all.

So I swallowed again, steeled my nerves, and bent further until I was as close to her ear as physically possible.

" _I love you_."

**To be continued.**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Dear readers,

I'm sorry this took longer to update than usual. I do have a legit excuse, however. I wrote a book. Yep. A book. Just sat down one day and there it was. Wrote it, edited it, and self-published. Figuring out Amazon and other things was a bit more time consuming than I thought, and then to top it off I've started a second book. I want to thank every one of you for the brilliant reviews you've left and the loyal following that's built around the story. It's not dead, it's not abandoned, and it shall go on.

You're great, fantastic, and A#1 in my book.

Love,

Ava


	15. Chapter 15

I exhaled, breathing out my tattered soul in that gust.

I waited, tense, for the lightning to strike. After so many years of refusing to feel I expected the wrath of the Christian god to reach down and smite me for my confession. I doubted the Norse gods I had been fed as a young man were listening.

Nothing. No sudden, all consuming transformation of my character. No painful retaliation. Not even a snore from Caroline, who slept on with the boneless posture of a child. I was yet Klaus, the most powerful creature on the planet. Caroline was my lady.

I buried my face in her hair, inhaling her scent again. I would never get enough of it.

I tried to relax beneath my slumbering woman, but it proved a fruitless venture for the most part. My muscles did soften beneath her. My arms loosened somewhat. But I could not let go and I could not allow sleep to claim me. Her presence was too new, too wondrous to be missed, and my mind sought ways to ensure that this would not be the last time she would be here with me.

I leaned my head back against the rest, staring at the ceiling with languid eyes. As I idly caressed the strands of blonde hair I had within reach, I contemplated my current situation. Admitting my love to Caroline whilst sleeping was one thing. Admitting it while she looked at me with her big eyes was another. I tried to imagine the scene. Roses. A fireplace. Dinner by candlelight. Perhaps a trip on a yacht in the Mediterranean. All of those things were remarkably easy to envision. Yet the moment of truth escaped me. I pictured her staring at me, waiting expectantly, and my throat clenched.

Absurd. Caroline was well aware of my feelings for her. Had she not told me so more than once? To shy from the actual telling was the act of a coward. I had had enough of that name in my lifetime.

Yet what assurance did I have that she would not use the words against me? To place myself in such a vulnerable, exposed position was not to be borne. Caroline did not love me. That "one day" nonsense was a poor man's pearl, inadequate. The truth was that she was putting me off. Again.

And I let her.

I allowed it because I knew in my heart of hearts that it was more than she had ever given me. Two sides warred within me in regards to Caroline. There was the young man who wanted to be loved, though I would never say it aloud. Not as long as I lived. That young man desired Caroline's presense like water. He wanted her, and he wanted her willing. It was the part of me that asked for dates and a courtship. He was tempted to accept what she had given me and bank his hope for more.

The other part, the one that had dominated for several hundred years longer than the first, was the conqueror. He was not appeased by the infinitesimal progress achieved with Caroline. He wanted it all. He wanted it now, even if force was required. That was the man that had built up an empire. He was the king of the supernatural world. He was the man whose name was whispered in every shadow and underworld dealing that existed.

The sum of all my parts, however, agreed that Caroline's safety could not be compromised.

It was true that the heavens did not collapse in the wake of my admission, but that did not mean that my words lacked power. Anyone who knew anything about the supernatural world had heard rumors of my _amour_ for a certain baby vampire. Whether I declared my feelings for her to public or not, my presence in the city coupled with the increasing amount of time spent in her company would not go unnoticed for long. Every lowlife feeling brave would try to use her to get to me, to try and test just how much I wanted her.

Tonight I discovered someone may already have.

I had no way to know if this particular incident had any connection to me a'tall. It might be as Caroline said, merely a case of an ex boyfriend on the loose. It ultimately mattered little. Caroline's happiness was my concern. If anyone threatened her directly or indirectly through Colby, then they challenged me.

I was not in the habit of letting challenges go unanswered. Nor did I look upon threats to my lady with leniency. I would pay back every discomfort she experienced tenfold, and the world take it as an example. It would know that Niklaus Mikealson was a man to cower before.

If it was an ex boyfriend encroaching on Caroline's peace of mind, I would ensure that his end was very public and very, very messy. I did appreciate the fact that she had been driven into my arms and my home, of course, but that little bonus did not overshadow the crime.

If it was a matter of one of my enemies testing my limits, well...A dark smile curled my lips. The strike would be quick, it would be brutal, and it would not be forgotten anytime in the next century.

Unfortunately my list of suspects was vast indeed. In the morning I would instruct Artie to begin his research. That would leave the ginger roommate at loose ends. I fought my sigh of annoyance, careful not to disturb Caroline. She had had enough for one day. I wanted to close my eyes and join her in dreamland, but knew good and well it would not happen tonight. To simply slip off without properly planning for the future—her safety and therefore our mutual happiness—was impossible.

She stirred against my chest. I paused, hand hovering over silky strands, and listened for signs of distress.

She sighed and rubbed her cheek against my tshirt...directly over my nipple.

My fingers curled into my palm and I groaned noiselessly in the back of my throat. God, what she did to me. She tormented me in the most delicious, delightful ways.

I returned to my petting, thoughts returning to my earlier confession. It was strange. All this time I had bottled it up inside. It grew and expanded until I felt it tangle with other emotions—lust, anger, helplessness, confusion, jealousy. Such a wide range wrapped up into one deceptively small word. Giving it voice had been freeing. Terrifying. And yet...

Dangerous. So very dangerous.

It was the thrill of the leap with no possibility of landing. A perpetual freefall. Caroline had no idea what I had done, but I knew. It was my secret. It teased me. It prodded me to push just a bit further, loosen the reins of my control just a little more. What would happen if I allowed my hand to drift down, for instance? If I traced my fingers over her shoulder rather than her hair, would she know? Would she able to discern the difference between yesterday and today?

My pulse quickened. It was as if the words had been starving for air. Now that they had tasted freedom, it wanted to open the door to other things. A gateway drug.

Outside the sky was growing lighter. The lamps I had turned on continued to glow. Yet the shadows still existed, cocooning us in my private world of temptation.

Would she truly remain oblivious? Caroline noticed things. She dug around my soul with nothing more than a pair of eyes and a keen emotional intellect. Oh, there were times she did not wish to acknowledge what she discovered, but discover things she did.

Lips parted, half afraid to breathe lest she awaken, I cautiously traced her cheek. It was a blind, furtive gesture given that our angles prevented line of sight.

She sighed.

The warm gust of air bled through my tshirt and saturated my skin.

I hardened.

Not full mast, mind you, but awakened, highly sensitive to all the places her body touched mine. Her hip. Her hand on my belly. Her magnificent ass. The way her legs were tangled up in mine. We were fully clothed and yet I found myself struggling against burgeoning arousal. It was my very distant youth tragically repeated.

Caroline shifted, unintentionally rubbing my growing hard on. This time I barely managed to bite back my groan, catching the sound by biting my lower lip. My eyes grew hooded and I let my head fall back once more. I tried to think of anything else but Caroline lying upon me warm and pliant.

Unfortunately physical arousal was much like love: it was a clinging bastard that refused to be ignored. Bloody inconvenient as well. A man of my caliber should have had no trouble controlling it. At any other time that would have been the case. Age and experience, however, meant absolute _bollocks_ when temptation was named Caroline Forbes.

I could list ten thousand reasons that should not have been true. I already had once or twice since I had known her. My darker moments were often spent brooding, marginalizing the feelings she inspired in an effort to cut them off completely. It would work for a little while, but in the end five minutes engaged in conversation with Caroline categorically decimated all my efforts. It was her talent. It was my downfall.

I moved my hips before understanding that I meant to. My cock brushed against her hip. I felt the touch through layers of stiff fabric. A shot to the system. My blood thickened. My breathing pattern changed, deepened. In a matter of moments I found myself sinking into a pool of desire.

I pressed my lips to her crown. I held her just a little closer, eliminating whatever minute space still existed between us. I tried to contain the surreal frustration that I could not meld us together in some permanent way. Caroline was and always would be separate from me. It was the laws of the universe in which we lived. The change from the human condition to a supernatural state sadly did not alter that truth.

And Caroline was right. It stemmed from insecurity. I knew that Caroline was mine, but I wanted her to acknowledge it. I wanted her to believe it. Until she did, I would never be able to rest easy.

I carefully cupped Caroline's chin and tilted her face up to mine. Lashes formed half moons on her cheeks. Her hair was silky where it brushed my neck. She slept on, unconsciously trusting me with her safety.

Or was it consciously? I did not know anymore. I did not care. Our arrangement may have been forced, but Caroline was strong. She changed the parameters of our relationship to suit her, fiery soul that she was, and I reveled in it. Every hour of the day she made us something unique. Something a great deal brighter yet no less addicting than I had intended.

And should the day ever come where Caroline commended herself heart and soul to me, I would _still_ not rest easy. I never would. That was the bald, unflinching nature of my love for this girl. Vampires could be killed. Caroline would always be vulnerable, and I would always do whatever it took to hold onto her light. I did not need it. I only knew that I never wanted to be without it again.

I traced her eyebrow with my thumb, a tight feeling in my chest that had nothing to do with arousal and everything to do with too much contact with Caroline. Suddenly it was not enough to lie here and be her pillow. What I wished to convey to her would need a great deal more than this passive expression.

Eyes hooded, I cupped the side of her face and kissed her forehead. I lingered there, savoring the feel of her skin, before moving to her brow. The bridge of her nose. Her cheek. I tread softly, not wanting to disturb her, yet unable to stay away.

"I love you." The words slipped out before I could stop them, escaping into the air like thieves in the night. I could not snatch them back. I froze, panicked that she may have heard me, before relaxing when she did not respond. I was not ready for her to hear me. I might never be.

To my complete disbelief, however, I was not angry at myself for losing control. It felt strangely good to give the words a voice again. As if I were doing something naughty and clandestine. I always did like my little secrets. It made me feel as if I had an advantage over everyone around me. It gave me a sort of high.

Oh yes. A gateway drug indeed.

I closed my eyes and kissed her. I poured every tender feeling I had into that kiss, but it was not innocent. Oh no, nothing about me was innocent or uncertain. There were only degrees of emotion, and this kiss reflected that. My hips pushed forward of their own accord, rocking against her in the slightest of movements. I felt her waken, her hand suddenly wrapping itself in my tshirt for traction as she pulled away. She blinked up at me owlishly, sleep still clouding her eyes.

I did not hide. I stared into them, feeling vulnerable and invincible all at once.

She frowned. "Klaus?" Her voice cracked. "What's wrong?"

Nothing. Not a thing was wrong. I only needed.

I slid my hand further up, spearing my fingers stealthily into her hair, and kissed her again. An open, exploring kiss, one that did not allow her to shy away from my learning everything about her. Every nook, every cranny. I wanted to know it so well that I would never lose my way in there again. A laughable goal, to be sure, for I knew I would never be able to keep my head while kissing this girl.

I made love to Caroline's mouth. The experience was new and thoroughly intoxicating. I have never understood the phrase "made love" before. It was a trite combination of words that put a flowy tint on what was supposed to be a messy, gloriously filthy experience. I have had sex and I have fucked, both of which I have done countless times. I did not "make love" to anyone. I would not even when I got the beauteous Caroline into my bed. But I would make love to her mouth, because it was a heady, all consuming sensation that treated her mouth like it was both base and enchanting. I took her mouth as if I owned it when the reality was that it owned me.

Every little sound—smacking of wet flesh as I swept my tongue over her lower lip, the catches in her breath and my own small exhalations—spurred me on and made me feel drunk. The heat that grew between us was incredible. It made the blood in her body rise, flushing her skin and giving off a perfume that drew me in. I tilted my head, attempting to deepen the kiss but the awkward angle thwarted me.

I shifted out from under her, trapping Caroline against the cushions of the sofa, my arm still cradling her head while I lay half on and half off of her. My erection pushed against the fly of my jeans. I kept eye contact, smoothing back her bangs. I was not a particularly tall or broad man. I was built for speed and endurance. Yet how large my hand seemed compared to her. Our differences were marvelous. I could crush her so easily. She looked like a confused angel, all blonde hair and big eyes. And thoroughly ravaged lips.

I took them again, hungry for more.

Her shallow breaths were a symphony. My own lungs struggled to keep up with the excitement running through my veins. I did not want to speak. Words had put me in my current state and I did not want to chance what trouble my considerable vocabulary could bring. This was an intimate, stolen moment, and I intended to make the most of it.

One of her small hands shackled my wrist while the other buried itself in my hair. We were locked together in an infinite circle, mirroring each other almost perfectly.

I arched against her, seeking the cradle of her thighs. She gasped against my mouth, surprised and aroused, her heartbeat stuttering a welcome tattoo in my ears. I was attuned to every part of her.

My hand slipped down over her cheek, her jaw, marking the line of her throat. It ghosted over her shoulder and cupped her breast possessively, measuring the weight and softness with pure male appreciation. I rocked again, dropping my full weight onto her.

She rocked back, moaning a little.

There was no room to maneuver. I should have gotten up, but I was afraid she would snap out of her haze. I grabbed her hip and adjusted her, settling right into the cradle of her, her thighs squeezing me close. It was magical. It was bloody well not enough.

She kissed me as though the fever between us was in danger of setting us both aflame. Her fingernails scraped my nape. She kept her hold on my wrist as I massaged her breast through her shirt. It was wafer thin. So easy to tear if I wished.

That would mean letting go.

I bucked my hips, hissing at the rough scrape of the fabric. I could feel the heat of her pussy luring me in. Every contraction of her thighs, every lift of her pelvis drove me closer and closer to a brink. I snagged the edge of her collar and tugged, not caring if the fabric tore, revealing skin I very much wanted to taste. I bent and rained kisses on her collarbone.

"Klaus." The way she said it, as if she couldn't help herself.

"Again," I commanded. I ran my tongue over her chest. "Say it again."

"What-"

I scraped her flesh with my teeth.

She clutched at me, her head falling back to expose her neck to my view. "Klaus! God."

Her arms held me as if she couldn't live without my body next to hers, her palms roaming my back. My shirt rode up and she slipped beneath. Her fingers branded everything she touched.

I wanted her nipple in my mouth so badly I ached. We arched against one another over and over, a parody of sex that tortured me. But I couldn't stop. I did not want to. Everything about her, about this moment, demanded that I find out what lay on the other side of this maddening exercise. Knowing what it was already did not diminish the searing drive I felt to reach it.

If going down did not get me what I wanted, then I would change course.

I grasped the shirt's hem and pulled. I tugged and I bunched, desperate to reveal as much of her body as I could. I peppered kisses everywhere within reach—her jaw, her neck, her chest, her arm. Everywhere. I was so hot that sweat had already begun to bead on my temples. My nerves burned with energy, my entire body sparking with sensation. This attraction between us was explosive, and it had yet to reach one fraction of the debauchery to which I intended to introduce her.

This is what those poets yammered on about endlessly. This is what I would have for the rest of my paranormally long life.

I would make certain of it.

My name. How many times had she said it in our acquaintance? How had I never noticed how unbelievably erotic the notes sounded in her voice?

I fumbled beneath her shirt for her bra clasp. No, it was in the back. Curse women's adornments. I was aching for her, my cock harder than any time in recent memory, demanding it be set free. It was pushing away civilized thoughts. The more we moved, the more animal I felt, fucking her through our clothes harder and rougher, anchoring a hand under her arse and squeezing it through her jeans. Our position pinned us in place, making her bra clasp impossible to negotiate.

I raised my head, cheeks flushed, mouth parted, to look at the bra. Blue. Older. She wouldn't miss it.

I hooked a finger over the center and tore it as easily as breathing. She inhaled sharply. I barely heard it, immediately entranced by the globes of flesh before me. They were small, no more than an ample handful. Perfection. Far too far from my mouth.

I enveloped the left nipple with my lips, long and lewdly, dragging and sucking while I pistoned my cock against the staunch barrier of denim. I aimed for her clit as much as I could, wanting her as wild for me as I was for her.

"Oh my god!" She bucked as if I'd touched a wire to her.

_Yes. That. More._

She hooked her heels behind my knees for leverage. I switched from one nipple to the othere, laving and biting and pulling at it until she thrashed.

She loved this. She loved what I was doing to her. The knowledge turned my arousal to painful levels. I grabbed her by the hair and forced her to kiss me, lost in the throes of primal urges. She returned my kiss fiercely, cupping my nape, her nails scraping me again.

I tore at her jeans with my free hand, lifting my hips just enough to gain access. The button would not cooperate.

I swore viciously. Could nothing bloody well fall into place? Where the devil had my famous finesse and grace scurried off to?

Caroline laughed.

The unexpected sound broke through the haze, startling me into stillness. Panting, I looked into her face. She was smiling.

"What?"

She shook her head, eyes dancing. "Nothing." She cupped the side of my face. "Nothing at all."

Despite the way my cock throbbed and our compromising position, a curious thing happened. My lips tilted and I smiled back.

She kissed me. This time it was tender. Affectionate. "You looked so frustrated."

"I am frustrated," I groused. I did not, however, turn away from her kisses as they were pressed down the curve of my cheek. "You may have failed to notice, my love, but I am currently very fucking hard and we are still wearing too many clothes." I nudged her with my erection for emphasis.

"My amazing powers of deduction told me as much." She relaxed and simply looked up at me. I'd never seen that expression in her eyes before. She appeared...warm. Content.

I was transfixed.

Slowly her smile faded, and her awareness of me returned. I could see it in the way her gaze turned liquid. Her fingers traced the shell of my ear. "You really are beautiful," she suddenly confessed, her voice rough and raspy.

I said nothing.

"I've never had anyone love me as much as you do."

I stilled. Had she heard me? I searched her face, half afraid, half anticipating the inevitable end. This was an important moment, I realized. Another chip in the line of Caroline's defense against me.

Would she turn away now? Would she continue where we had left off?

She seemed to reach a decision. She slowly bent forward. Her eyes slid closed.

Then the sound of shattering glass filled my ears.

_**To be continued...** _

* * *

**1\. Bwahahaha! Klaus has been such a tease throughout this whole story that I wanted to give back some of what he's been dishing out.**

**2\. Why the long wait between updates? Two reasons. A) Got to return to the states to meet my nephew for the first time. Fattest cheeks in all of the world, and I love him to pieces. B) Wrote a second book. Yep! A New Adult, time travel, paranormal love story between a witch and a werewolf. The link is in my profile for all that are interested.**

**3\. Ever heard the song "Crave You" by Flight Facilities? It and "Young and Beautiful" by Lana Del Rey were on repeat for this chapter.**

**4\. Many thanks to all the loyal fans who read and reviewed and pm'ed me about the story. You make it all worth it.**


	16. Chapter 16

My eyes rounded. What the-

Our heads turned as one toward the door, ears perked. I listened to the noise and my skin chilled. Someone was fighting downstairs.

Klaus was up instantly. I was close behind, tugging my shirt down as I went. I barely managed to avoid a collision when he suddenly halted and turned. He caught me before I could plow right through, his face dark and forbidding.

I knew that look.

Klaus was on the warpath.

"Stay here," he barked at me.

"This is not the time to pull a he-man trick!" I retorted, grabbing at his sleeves.

There was another crash and a curse below. My heart stuttered. Colby.

I didn't think. I should have but I didn't, I just acted. I ripped open the door and hurtled through it, leaving a furious Klaus in my wake as I flashed downstairs. Where was he?

The living room.

"Colby!" I called out. "What's wrong—Ah!" I slapped my hands over my eyes with a shriek, stumbling back into Klaus' arms.

"Caroline?" Klaus barked, anger and fear tangled up in his voice.

"My eyes! Oh my god, my eyes!" I tried to block Klaus' gaze with my hand while I had my eyes closed. I accidentally poked him instead.

He cursed. "What the devil-"

Artie's voice cut through clear as day. "Oh for god's sake, princess-"

"PUT SOME CLOTHES ON, you—you-defiler of roommates!" Never, ever in my life would I be able to forget that full frontal view I'd gotten a load of when I'd dashed into the living room. It was engraved into my brain, permanently tattooed.

And Colby. Jesus. I'm traumatized.

I pushed away from Klaus and turned on my heel, marching back into the living room. Colby was still struggling to get his pants on, his shirt hanging from the freakin' ceiling. The coffee table was splintered into a million pieces. Artie stood just in front of Colby, his bare feet very close to what looked like not one, but two glass vases shattered all over the floor. The flowers were scattered across the carpets like a memorial on a battlefield.

Turns out Artie is a briefs kind of guy. Gray. And I now knew exactly what they barely covered.

I planted a fist on my hip and stabbed my finger in the direction of the giant heart tattooed on his shaved chest. "You." The word cracked like a whip. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing?"

I felt Klaus come in closer, bringing up my back. He took in the scene with glittering eyes, radiating some seriously dark vibes.

To his credit, Artie angled his rather impressive bod to hide Colby from my view. All I could see was flashes of ginger hair over his shoulder.

Artie's chin lifted. "Having very satisfying sex." And he was unapologetic.

Did he just say that to me?! "Sex? It's a war zone in here! It looks like you tossed him around like a chew toy!" The more I looked around, the more worked up I got. "Do you have any idea what you could have-"

"Terra!" Colby, finally somewhat dressed, popped up, hand out to stop me. "Chill, okay? Just relax." He stepped around Artie and approached me like he was coming up to a wild dog or something. The irony was not lost on me. "Everything's okay. He didn't hurt me."

"Are you sure?" I demanded. I knew that it wasn't my place. Colby was an adult. He could have sex when and where he wanted. Hell, he did it all the freaking time. But this level of carnage? Really? This wasn't your usual after-party delight. This was full on oh-my-god-who-set-the-bomb-off-in-here damage. And he was Colby, dammit. As far as I was concerned, that was on par with family.

Nobody messes with my family.

He flicked a little grin at me. "Yeah, I'm sure. Retract the claws."

I huffed, trying to decide if that's what I wanted to do. One look at him, though, and I slowly put my hand down.

"And, uh, while you're at it?" He waved a hand toward my chest. "Doing a little headlighting there."

Huh? I looked down. "Ack!" I clutched my arms to my chest, face flaming instantly. My bra was torn to bits, hanging haphazardly under my shirt. Which hid absolutely nothing.

Klaus growled. Next thing I knew I was enveloped in his embrace, face planted in his shirt. "Turn!" he commanded the two of them.

I struggled up for air, gasping a bit. "Protective much?" I half-hissed for his ears alone, whacking him on the hip. Lightly, but he got the point.

He ignored me. "Artie."

I craned my neck back as much as I could to get a good view. He stood with his shoulders straight and his hands on his hips, looking for all the world like he was prepared to take whatever punishment came to him like a man.

"I'm sorry about your furniture," he said before Klaus could utter another word. "It got out of hand." He was totally sincere about it, too.

That didn't mean I was going to start liking him.

"That much is clear," was Klaus' dry response. "I was under the impression that your room was large enough to handle your affairs."

Affairs? Plural? Well, wait, I couldn't be unfair about that. Colby was a sack-hopper himself.

Maybe I was overreacting. Colby didn't look like he had a scratch on him. In fact, he was checking out Artie's ass—which was nice, I had to admit—with pure male appreciation. People didn't do that to their attackers.

Don't ask me why I thought he'd been attacked. Knee-jerk reaction? Maybe I was more affected by the last twenty-four hours than I'd realized.

Bit by bit, I forced myself to relax. Colby was a consenting adult. He knew what he was doing. My eyes narrowed. Or at least he thought he did.

Unless I missed something in the last few hours, Colby wasn't suddenly tuned into the world of vampires, hybrids, and werewolves. We weren't talking about the usual star-crossed lovers trope here. Hybrids had enormous amounts of strength, the same way vampires did. I remembered with painful clarity how easy it would have been to hurt Matt, back when I was a new vampire. I couldn't control myself the way I could now, and there were still times I feared I'd do someone accidental harm. Just look at what Artie managed to do to the living room. What would happen if he really got worked up?

I didn't want that for Colby. The problem was that I wasn't his mom. Okay, that was as terrible analogy, considering how his real mom treated him. I glanced from Artie to Colby and back again, torn about my own feelings. I wrapped my hand around Klaus' hip, glad to have something solid to anchor me.

His hand smoothed down my back as he glared at the two. "You have destroyed my living space and you have upset Caroline. You have also managed to accomplish both before dawn has had time to break. I am not feeling favorable toward you, Artie."

That was an understatement. He looked ready to maim.

That probably had less to do with the furniture and more to do with what was interrupted.

My mouth twitched. I couldn't help it. So surreal. The whole thing was just way beyond my comprehension.

Klaus slanted a sideways glance at me, noting my amusement. If anything his face got darker. His arm tightened just the teeniest bit in warning. Someone was not up to being teased.

I wondered if I should be having a freakout about the seriously intense session of dry sex we'd just had. Well, dry humping. We never got to the happy ending. I should have been freaking. I should have been in the middle of self-recrimination and a whole lot of introspection. Maybe denial. I specifically said no funny stuff. What we did was nearly the definition of funny stuff. Except there was nothing funny about it.

It was...poignant.

There were these rare moments when two people could really connect. They could put themselves into a place when words weren't needed. That's what it felt like. Klaus was trying to tell me something. The way he touched me was probably the most honest, moving thing he'd ever done. Klaus was the kind of guy that could spin a sentence any way he wanted, but at the end of the day it's what he did that mattered to me.

What just happened...what just nearly happened, mattered to me.

I searched his face, strangely calm. Maybe that's what I should have been freaking out about: how easy it was becoming to accept these little bombs of revelation. What that meant about how I felt about him.

A little part of me tightened. Was it finally happening? Everything I'd been dreading?

Colby's voice broke through my train of thought. "Listen, it was my fault too. I was the other half of the destructo team."

Ugh. Images! It was too soon to be retraumatized.

"You were nice enough to take Terra and me in. I should have had more respect for your stuff." He rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks flushing. "Sorry."

Freakin' love this guy. Even if he was a horndog.

Klaus exhaled through his nose, long and loud. I could practically hear him plotting murder. Not seriously, of course. Colby would have been dead by now if that's what Klaus wanted. That, and Klaus had made me a promise.

Something warm swirled in my chest.

Okay, that was enough of that. Time to focus on the here and now. "Hey."

Klaus looked at me, the early morning morning sun glinting a little off of the beard bristle. Man, he had the longest lashes. I wished I had natural lashes like those. Going with my gut feeling, I smoothed a hand over his collarbone. "I've got an idea. Make Colby clean up the mess."

"Hey!"

A light brown brow arched. He was curious. "And Artie?"

I'll admit it—I felt a little evil when I said, "Give him to me."

Artie twisted around, nearly pulling a muscle so that he could look at me over his shoulder. Oh ho, feeling a little afraid? He ought to.

I smiled at him. Or smirked. I guess that depended on your perspective.

Klaus cradled me close, humming while he considered. "Do you have something dastardly in mind, my love?" Could he look any more thrilled by the possibility?

Colby and Artie exchanged looks. Silent communication already? This was getting serious fast.

I looked down at the way Klaus' hand was cupping my elbow. Then again, I wasn't somebody who could talk.

Colby licked his lips. "I know what we did was pretty shitty, Terra, but isn't this taking it a little far? I mean, I love you and I respect your opinion-"

"He's going to come back alive, Colby," I interjected drily. "I just think that Artie should take responsibility. Footing the bill for new furniture would be a good start."

Colby paled as the full meaning of what I'd said sunk in. "No," he said. "Absolutely not. No way. Nyet. Nein."

Artie gave up with the back turned thing. "Someone want to tell me what's going on?"

"She wants to take you shopping," Colby told him. He said it the same way he might say she wants to cut off one of your fingers and use it as a spare nose picker.

Artie stared at me, totally surprised. I flashed him my Miss Mystic Falls smile. "It'll be fun, Artie. Just you and me and a little girl time."

The full import of the situation started to dawn on Klaus. He chuckled, the vibrations nice against my shoulder.

He narrowed his gaze. "I am not your gay best friend, princess." He folded buff arms over an equally buff set of pecs.

"No, that's Colby," I shot back, "who will be on cleaning detail. Unless you want to rumble with me about it, Fido, you'll be ready in twenty minutes. I expect you to be fully clothed, with keys, and prepared for a deep immersion shopping experience."

I think he was starting to get just how painful this was going to be for him. He looked a little panicked. Good. "None of the shops will be open."

Amateur. "They will be for the amount of money you plan on dropping."

"You have your orders," Klaus cut in smoothly, starting to retreat from the room and tugging me after him. "Caroline's word is law."

Artie opened his mouth. It closed. His arms dropped. He looked at Colby, helpless.

He wasn't going to get any help from that end. That knowledge was so satisfying that I didn't even resist when Klaus turned us and hooked an arm across my shoulders. Heck, I even grabbed his hand where it curled over my bicep and squeezed.

We made it all the way down the hall and around a corner before I found myself pushed up against the wall, a very amorous Original pinning me there with his big hands on my hips. He laid a kiss on me that had me seeing stars. I had to catch my breath when he pulled back. "What-"

"What have I told you?" he interrupted harshly. Wow. I did not expect that tone of voice to be coupled with that kind of passionate kissing. "What have I said, Caroline? What I would do if you put yourself in danger?"

Oh. Damn. "I..." Nothing else came out. Damn damn damn.

He cupped the side of my face with a possessive hand. "This time. This one time, I will forgive it. But do not ever make the mistake of believing I will not make good on my promise." He kissed me again.

Whoa momma. What was with the blazing inferno of desire that shot up every time he did that? Was this house spelled with a sex charm or something?

This time when he pulled back, he wasn't angry, but he was serious. "You realize that you cannot interfere in the relationship of two adults," he said quietly. "They will do whatever they wish, no matter what you might say."

I swallowed. "I know. But I'm going to make damn sure Artie knows the score. I won't feel right if I don't."

He stroked my cheekbone. "It is for that reason I have decided to acquiesce to this. Your meddlesome little heart won't be satisfied with anything less."

That should have sounded like an insult. He made it sound as though he liked that about me. Maybe he did. I studied his face, so close to mine we were sharing breath. I could see the dust motes already floating on the sun as it rose. This place would be amazing in the full light of day. It was someplace an artist like Klaus could really lose himself, and it made it that much easier to see how badly I messed up his hair this morning in the middle of our heavy makeout session.

I caught my lip, remembering it.

"You will of course take hybrids with you. As many as I deem necessary. Are we clear on that, Caroline?"

It was more than I was expecting. A struggle I tangle with daily, he'd said. Yet here he was, doing what I wanted because I wanted it. Now that he'd told me how hard it was for him, I couldn't help but feel a little amazed by how calm he sounded about it. "You aren't coming with me?"

He smiled. He made it look like something devilish. "As much as I relish your company, Caroline, I confess that shopping is not an experience I wish to share with you. You forget—I know your perfectionist tendencies."

I eyed him shrewdly. "You're going to do a little digging, aren't you? Into who sent the box."

"You know me well, my love." He kissed me again as a reward. Or at least that's what it came across as. "Cross?"

"No," I admitted reluctantly. "It's probably better that you do it instead of me. Your network of contacts is bigger." And scarier.

He chose not to remark, but his gaze warmed. He just stood there, looking at me, like he had nothing better to do all day. "Have I told you," he rumbled, "how incredibly sexy I find your bossy nature?" He leaned in and nuzzled my neck. "A queen."

I rolled my eyes. "You're so full of it."

"I was hoping to make you full of it," was his wicked—and terrible—comeback.

"Oh!" I laughed, wrinkling my nose. "Oh, I just can't stand here and listen to that. The worst pick up line I've ever heard." I pushed him away.

He blocked my escape with a hand on the way. He was smiling too. It reminded me of that one date we'd had at the Miss Mystic Falls pageant, about a million years ago when he'd found my application somewhere. It lit up his whole face and made his eyes sparkle. "I can do better," he practically purred.

My heart picked up the pace. So handsome. Why did that thought shoot a thrill of pride through me like that?

Yeah, something was happening. Something big. "You'll have to regale me with your thousands of hooks, lines, and sinkers later. I have punishment shopping to do. But before that, a shower."

He looked me up and down. "Any chance of my joining you?"

You know, the way I was feeling then, he had a 75 percent shot at success. Luckily he seemed to take my silence for a way to wriggle out of it, because he sighed good naturedly and removed his hand. "Let's get you clothes."

Disappointment brought down my mood a little. That was it? He wasn't going to try harder? That almost seemed out of character. Then again, I guess there were only so many times a girl could brush off a guy.

No wait, what was I thinking? I was letting my libido get in the way. Sex at this stage of our relationship would be a mistake. No matter how nice it felt, there was still something missing between us. Something really important, even though I couldn't quite put my finger on it. That sucked, but as I followed Klaus, I reluctantly accepted that it was true. Klaus and I were something special. Maybe not the traditional sort of special, but we were walking a fine balance here that really didn't need upsetting. At least not until I figured out what we needed—and found a way to get it.

Twenty minutes later I was showered and ready to go. It felt good to start out fresh after the weird beginning to my morning. Actually it had been a weird...I don't know, life, ever since Klaus came back into it. He was waiting for me outside with some final instructions. Most of it was for the hybrids he ws making me take. It could be summed up in, "She gets hurt, and I will make your death last a month."

I believed him. I'm pretty sure they did too.

He kissed me goodbye. It felt sweet and domestic. A small part of me reeled a little bit. Domestic. With Klaus. No, nothing had been normal since he found me in that frozen cake aisle. I told him to keep a friendly eye on Colby. He told me to have a good day.

It was nice. It felt like something we did every day, but it had that edge of excitement to it that I'd come to associate purely with this man. When I slid into the passenger seat of Artie's SUV, I felt light as a feather. Then I got a look at Artie's face, and I remembered what we were doing. As we pulled out of the driveway, the second SUV following close behind, I turned to him and said, "I just want you to know that what I plan on inflicting on you today pales in comparison to what I'll do if you break Colby's heart."

He looked right and left, then pulled into the street at the end of the drive. "What makes you think he'll ever give it to me to break?"

Valid question. He even asked it so casually he might have convinced me the answer didn't matter...if he hadn't asked in the first place. If he hadn't asked with his fingers gripping the steering wheel like that. If he hadn't asked while making a studious effort not to look me in the eye. Oh yeah, I had Artie the Hipster Hybrid's number in the space of an instant.

I relaxed in the seat, feeling like the morning just might lead to a bright new day. "Oh, I don't know. Call it a gut feeling."

He tilted back his fedora and tried to study me without being obvious about it.

I smiled. "How do you feel about fabric swatches?"

Hours and hours and hours later, we had concluded our business at the furniture store. Artie's wallet was considerably lighter when we left. He looked so hunted I decided to cut him a break. We went to the mall just up the street. I wanted to get some clothes, and the hybrids were practically yowling for food. We hit up the food court first. Normally I'd never eat before trying on shirts, but I was also in the company of several flesh-eaters with sharp teeth. It seemed smarter to feed them before getting deeper into the crowd.

It was a nice lunch, actually. Deceptively normal. I dropped hints about Colby every chance I got and Artie ate it up. I was totally out of practice with the matchmaking thing, but we did drop by a store afterward together. The other hybrids faded into the background, watching from afar as we perused. Now, being in that store was nothing special in itself, but it carried mostly menswear and other accessories, neither of which I needed. So while Artie pretended to be there for me, I knew he was looking for something that might impress Colby.

Although to be honest? Strictly from a I'm-so-not-interested-but-neither-am-I-blind point of view, Artie had plenty of qualities with which to thrill Colby. It was a short look this morning, but I sure got an eyefull.

I kept that to myself while we browsed.

At the end of one counter I paused at the men's wallets. There wasn't anything particularly noteworthy about them. They were just well made. I half listened to Artie ask the clerk a question, and then an idea came to me. It was more of a thought, actually. I mean, we were there, in a men's store, and I suddenly had a man in my life. A straight man. A man who had taken me on some pretty nice dates and was actually sweet to me in a very twisted, roundabout way. He had taken both me and my roommate in when we needed it, right?

I looked at the wallets, thinking. Gift giving was a big step. It implied stuff. It this were a normal relationship, there would be a distinct possibility of the guy freaking out. Wallets could be considered personal.

But with Klaus...well, I had a feeling it would take a lot more than a wallet to scare him off. In fact, it would probably take an act of God and someone videotaping to help Klaus verify its authenticity.

You know what? I was going to do it. I was going to buy Klaus a gift.

I barreled through the process like a kamikaze, half thrilled by the act and half afraid I was going to chicken out. In a matter of minutes the wallet was in my purse, nicely gift wrapped. My own personal secret. I glanced at Artie to see if he'd noticed. He was keeping an eye on me, but he was still talking to the clerk. Something about bow ties.

"Caroline?"

I turned before I really registered the voice, the pitch and timber so familiar that I didn't question it...

...until I came face to face with Tyler Lockwood.

My heart stuttered to a stop. Oh my god. Tyler. Tyler.

For a second there I didn't know what to do. I was overwhelmed by surprise, by happiness, and by the sudden realization that this was not a good thing. Oh no, what if he came over? Artie was with me. He would tell Klaus and then Klaus—no, no, I couldn't panic. I had to think.

I plastered my Miss Mystic Falls smile on. "Oh wow," I exclaimed in a bright, fake voice people use when they aren't that pleased to see someone. "Hi! How are you?" I walked over as casually as I could.

"I can't believe we'd meet up after all this time!"

Tyler's brows furrowed in confusion. I guess he still knew me well enough to pick out Public Caroline from Real Caroline. I gave him one of those quick Keep-Your-Distance hugs. "Play along," I whispered quickly in his ear.

"Yeah," he said awkwardly, "who would have thought, right? It's been a while."

"Artie," I called over my shoulder, "come over here. I want you to meet my friend Jack from my hometown. We went to high school together."

Artie prowled over, decked out in all his hipster glory. "Hi." He held out his hand, which Tyler shook.

"Hi." He must have gotten some acting skills in during the last two years, because there wasn't a shred of hesitation in his manner. He wasn't even tense.

"God, I haven't seen you in, what? Years, right? Since I left Mystic Falls." I kept the bright smile. "I was just going to pick up some clothes. Want to come along? We'll chat."

His eyes left Artie and met mine. "Uh, sorry, I was on my way to meet someone." He shrugged, the picture of apology.

He'd changed. He was just as muscled as before, but now he was much more casual, comfortable in his own skin. He'd grown up. "Oh," I said, disappointed. "That's too bad. You know what? Let me give you my Facebook account." I dug through my purse for a pen and an old receipt.

"Isn't it under your name?"

"No, too many people were trying to friend me. It's a pseudonym." I shook the pen. "Damn. Artie, turn around so I can write on your back. This pen won't work otherwise."

Artie rolled his eyes but complied. "Of course, princess."

"Cute," I cut, breaking character. Once he'd done what I wanted I quickly scrawled my phone number on the paper and folded it up. I handed it over to Tyler with that same fake smile. "You keep in touch, okay? It was good to see you, Jack."

"Yeah," he said, "good to see you too, Caroline." He tucked the paper into his pocket without looking at it.

I took Artie by the arm and waved. "See you around."

He waved back, nodded at Artie, and turned to walk away.

Artie indicated his back with his chin. "Old boyfriend?"

"You could say that," I answer, smile fading. "I had a crush on Jack when I was a freshman. He found out and broke my heart." That was totally and utterly true. Jack Green did do that. As far as I knew, he'd moved away from Mystic Falls when we were sophomores.

I let go of Artie. "Sorry. Wanted him to think we were together. Dumb girl move." I'd just met Tyler Lockwood. He was fine. Why not make an allusion to Matt while I was at it?

The rest of the afternoon was a blur. I didn't really pay attention to the clothes I bought. My mind was on Tyler and my eye was on my phone. It took two hours for the first text to come. By then we were already back in the car and on our way home. Artie was grumbling in the driver's seat about the traffic, so I took the window of opportunity to answer.

What was that about? That guy your new boyfriend?

I chewed on my lip. Should I tell him? If I said Artie was a hybrid bodyguard, Tyler would be chomping at the bit to know why I had him. I'd have to say Klaus. I'd have to explain the situation. That wouldn't end well.

I was with Tyler when he found out his mother was dead. I was waiting for him when he officially identified her body. When my father died, I cried, but it wasn't the same. Dad chose to go. It was premature and it could have gone so differently, but in the end it was his decision not to change. Carol Lockwood's death was violent and made Tyler an orphan. He cried like a baby. So many tears.

So many.

I hated Klaus for doing that to Tyler. Nobody should have to stare in the eyes of his mother's killer. Then Kol turned up dead. I didn't deny Tyler his right to gloat. He needed to feel some measure of justice, right?

Did I still hate Klaus for killing Tyler's mom? A little. More than a little. Not enough time had passed to forgive him, if I ever did. But I had to think about that chapter of our lives as closed. This was a new time, with a new set of parameters. We had to play with the hand we were dealt.

Tyler popping up again opened up an uncomfortable wound, though. I couldn't hide behind the rules and parameters when I looked at him and remembered how much he cried. How lonely he was. Being with Klaus after that would be considered the ultimate betrayal.

He would be right, I acknowledged honestly. Unfortunately it wasn't something I could change. I had to be pragmatic with the options I had.

I began to type. We've been together awhile. How about you? Do you have someone special in your life? I hit send.

And then I added, I can't talk too long. It wouldn't be right, but I want to know how you are. If you're doing well. If you're happy.

I'm okay, was the answer. You looked good. I'm glad. Are you going to school?

Not yet. I'm looking into it right now, trying to pick the right one.

A pause. What to say next? I finally decided on, You must have been all over the place.

He wrote back right away. I've been to a few states, yeah. Mostly hanging out with other packs. I found one in Canada and they like to roam.

Two seconds after I got that message I received another. Does he know what you are?

A legitimate question. Yes. He's fine with it. But I didn't want to draw attention to my crazy Mystic Falls past.

A few minutes passed after that, so long that I began to wonder if that was it. I tried not to stare at the phone. I didn't want to alert Artie to my anxiousness. At the same time I wanted to call and find out what was going on. Damn, this was hard.

My phone vibrated as we were pulling up to Klaus' house. I took it out of my purse and tapped the screen as I closed the car door behind me.

Did you miss me?

My heart thudded.

"Caroline."

I looked up, startled to see Klaus standing on the terrace, waiting for me. My heart thudded again. It was like I was literally being handed a reminder. I wasn't with Tyler anymore. I was with Klaus.

I glanced at the phone, at the message still sitting there. Glaring at me. Did I miss him? I did. I really did. But admitting that would get us nowhere. Things were different now and always would be. We couldn't go back.

My thumb hovered over the delete button.

I closed my eyes. Be brave.

I hit Delete.

The second all those messages disappeared forever, I felt all the strength leave my body. I did it. I really did it. I wanted to sag against the car but there was no time. Klaus was there, looking concerned. "Something wrong?"

I let out a small laugh. "You always ask me the hard questions, Klaus."

His gaze sharpened to predatory. "What happened?"

Don't tell him. He'd kill Tyler. I just met him, he looked alive and well. He wasn't in my life anymore. Couldn't that be enough?

"I saw an old classmate today." I stared up at him. "It brought back memories."

It was a half-truth. My conscience tugged at me. Didn't we just have a fight about that? Didn't we agree to be partners? Did that count in this case?

I didn't know. I just didn't know! I wanted things to be clear cut and easy between us, but reality was that too many experiences had taught me that Klaus couldn't be those things. He was complicated. We were complicated.

God, why was this happening? Why now? Klaus and I were just getting started, but we were also making progress. If I told him about Tyler, all of that had a chance of disappearing like a puff of smoke. It might even sign Tyler's death sentence.

No, no, I told myself as we walked into the house together. Klaus promised. He'd promised me. Earlier today I was absolutely sure he wouldn't hurt Colby.

But his revenge against Tyler went way back, before his promise. And it was personal. Could I take that risk?

I wanted to believe that I could. Yet something held me back. Something big.

I didn't pretend to be happy for him when we went in. He knew me too well to fall for it. So when I talked about my afternoon I was subdued, keeping to the basic details of the furniture. I barely noticed us walking into the kitchen until we were there. Colby had come by and snapped up Artie immediately. The other hybrids had disappeared, so we were alone.

That's when I noticed the counter. It was an island, actually, that now had two stools pushed up against it. On top sat a long tapered candle. Next to it was a cut rose. Not the kind that you buy in a store, but the big heirloom kind like we had seen in the public garden. Where we went to the tea shop.

You would expect there to be some kind of meal or something laying there, but there wasn't. There were brochures. All kinds. I walked over and picked one up with fingers that shook a little. It was a college brochure. I picked up another. Niagra Falls.

It was all there. Universities and travel. All there. All for me.

I looked up at Klaus, who stood beside me. He didn't make eye contact. "I thought you might like them."

I don't know where it came from. I really don't. All I know was that a giant, overwhelming bubble of sensation suddenly formed in my sternum. It grew. It built. It climbed my throat and then crashed over me with the force of a tsunami.

I burst into tears. Big fat drops covered my cheeks in a matter of seconds. I tried to stop it—I covered my mouth to stifle the sobs, but my shoulders wouldn't stop shaking and the tears just flowed. I couldn't hold them back.

You know, maybe it was shock. Maybe it was just the belated reaction to everything that had happened to me in just a short while. Klaus. Tyler. Dates. Problems. Arguing. Finding compromises. Feeling things I never let myself feel before.

Maybe it was guilt.

Maybe it was fear.

Maybe it was the wild terror of taking a leap when I didn't know where I would land. "K-Klaus," I forced out, the words barely making it to the surface.

"Why are you crying?" he demanded. He didn't hold me. He knew something was going to change. You could see it in his face.

"I'm afraid," I confessed. "I have to tell you something and I'm so scared of what you'll do when you hear it that I can't think straight!"

He crowded me against the island, so close and yet so far. He had that Alpha male expression, eyes hooded, eyes cold as ice. "Say it," he told me. "Now."

I twisted my hands together and held them to my stomach. I didn't want Tyler to die. I didn't want to believe that Klaus would kill him. I wanted us to be okay and for things to finally start going right.

But the only way to know—the only way—was to say it.

"I met Tyler today."

**To be continued...**

* * *

**1\. Well, I'll be damned. As I've mentioned before, I don't plan. I just sit down and I write. When that last bit showed up, I gaped at it and whistled. Caroline, you ballsy, beautiful chick.**

**2\. Confession-I have not watched past the first half of season four. I couldn't bear the thought of Hayley and then Klaus leaving. I don't know what people are talking about with season five (though I have an idea) but frankly I just want to live in the world of this fic for a while. I'm happier here :)**


	17. Chapter 17

Silence can reveal things noise helps you hide.

It can tell you exactly what you've been afraid of the whole time. It can grip your heart and crack it wide open. You're left so nakedly vulnerable you wonder how you've managed to get away with ignorance for so long.

With my fingernails digging into my own belly, I stared up at Klaus with damp eyes. I wanted to beg him to be merciful. Again. I had to bite my bottom lip hard to keep from doing it. Because even though I desperately wanted to shield Tyler—someone who had once meant so much to me I would have run away with him, whom I loved so totally that I sent him away for his own good—I had something I wanted even more.

I wanted proof that my faith in Klaus was not misplaced. That all the times I decided to trust him despite everything was not just a safety measure. That I wasn't deluding myself about the situation.

That he was worth saving.

So maybe, just maybe, the bubbly beginning of hope I felt this morning wasn't a mistake.

I swallowed, my heart clenching in my chest. His face didn't betray a thing. He might as well have turned to stone. He didn't blink. He didn't say anything. He just...studied me, his lips pursed together in a flat line.

_Say something_ , I wanted to tell him while I tried my best to sniffle back the tears. _Anything_. The not knowing was killing me. And I hated myself for crying. I thought I was stronger than this. I didn't want him to think that I was trying to soften him up with tears. That was a stupid girl move.

Except this was so important to me that it was like I'd lost control of my own body. My shoulders hunched. I was shaking and no amount of holding on to myself would hide it. More than that, I couldn't look away from Klaus if my life depended on it.

Except it wasn't my life. It was Tyler's.

No. Who was I kidding? It was mine too.

Forcing the knot in my throat to subside, I took a step closer. "Klaus?"

His eyes narrowed. Just like that, he went from frozen to subzero.

He looked me up and down, kind of like he did this morning, except there wasn't a speck of warmth or contentment or even humanity left.

My stomach dropped to my feet. I wanted to shake my head. I wanted him to stop it.

His lips curled in a smirk. He took one single, deliberate step back, leaving me right there in the middle of my disbelief.

In his kitchen.

Next to the brochures, a romantic candle, and a rose.

I watched as he canted his head to the side, his entire body morphing into that long, lean posture of the top wolf. He practically screamed a challenge just by the way he stood, all of his weight shifted to one foot.

"How interesting," he murmured in a honey voice I knew too well. The voice he used when he thought he had the upper hand. "You managed to tell me the truth after all. I'm impressed, Caroline."

I frowned. "What?"

He clasped his hands behind his back. "Come now, love. Did you think I wouldn't know within minutes of someone approaching you? Given our present circumstances?" His eyes were glittering. With anger? Resentment? I couldn't tell. "All of my hybrids know about Tyler Lockwood."

Artie. But that couldn't be. I was with him almost the whole time. He never called or texted Klaus. He didn't even blink when he saw Tyler.

The other hybrids. It had to be. "You told them to let him meet me."

"Well. There was a brief moment where I considered ordering them to rip him limb from limb, but it was a rather public place. Couldn't risk the humans panicking."

A chill ran through me. "You were testing me."

He shrugged.

The hard knot in my stomach liquified. Suddenly I wasn't crying any more. "Just tell me one thing," I gritted out through a stiff jaw. "Is he still alive?"

He didn't break eye contact. "Alive and well and utterly oblivious to how close he came to death today."

I carefully untangled my fingers one at a time, letting my hands fall to my sides. "For how long?" I was amazed at how evenly the question came out. Like I was actually calm.

"For as long as our arrangement lasts," he replied easily. "I did make a promise, after all."

Our _arrangement_. Because that's what it was. Of course it was. A small, dirty exchange of one thing for another. Me for everything else. Not a relationship. Not a partnership. All those little progresses I thought we'd accomplished had just been reduced to something fake and worthless.

I had my answer. I could trust Klaus to keep his side of the bargain...not because he wanted, but because he was getting something out of it.

And you could bet that he didn't trust me. Not an inch.

I wanted to laugh. Why was I so surprised? This was Klaus.

New tears pricked my eyes. This time I forced them back. No. No more crying. That moment of weakness was something I wanted to forget. But I couldn't look at him anymore. "Well," I said to the space over his shoulder. "I passed your test. Tyler's alive. I guess that makes it all better."

His gaze turned wary, but he quickly hid it. "None of that, Caroline." He ambled forward, like an animal patrolling his territory. "One can hardly blame me for attempting to get the lay of the land." He circled me, stopping at my side.

I followed his progress, not saying anything. My insides were burning.

He was staring at my sleeve like it was something erotic. Slowly, like he couldn't help himself, he lifted one hand and traced the pattern on my bicep lightly. "I am pleased," he confessed. He didn't sound pleased. He sounded smug. He sounded like everything was right in the world while I kept thinking about how scared I was.

Did he have any idea what he'd done to me? Or did he just not care?

Getting the lay of the land? I repeated silently. _The lay of the land?_ Just what the hell did that mean?

The same force that made me cry was welling again, this time as hot and brilliant as lava.

I clenched my fists at my side. "You used Tyler as bait."

He huffed. "He is lucky that I did not use his skin as a floor rug."

"He didn't deserve that."

"He deserved all that and more."

"Did I?" I challenged, rounding on him, pulling my sleeve out of reach. "Did I deserve for you to play around with our lives?"

Now he was getting upset. "I'm not sure I appreciate how strident your defense of him is. I suggest you calm down."

"Calm down? Are you serious? You just told me that you engineered some kind of emotional obstacle course using my ex boyfriend!"

"The Lockwood boy is nothing!"

"He's my friend!"

"And he is _so fortunate_ as to have your regard!" he spat, his expression a thundercloud of anger and bitter hurt.

I snapped.

"So could you!" I yelled in his face, his stupid, handsome, psychotic face. "If you would just stop acting like a freaking idiot-" I cut myself off, realizing just how far I'd gone a little too late.

Klaus stared at me. I didn't think I'd ever seen him at a loss for words before. It was like he didn't believe what he'd heard and yet he desperately wanted it to be true. I stepped away, running a hand through my hair. Well, fine. Just great. I hadn't meant to say that but now that I had, I was going all the way.

"Caroline-"

"No. It's my turn to talk." Time to put my courage to the sticking place. I glared at him. "Do you think it doesn't touch me that you have feelings for me?"

He opened his mouth. Closed it. Continued to stare. You'd think I was an alien that had dropped out of a space ship, except I had a feeling Klaus would have handled that better. My chin lifted. "Well, it does."

Where the hell was all of this coming from? It wasn't as though I'd had a speech planned. Yet all the words were coming out like I'd rehearsed them. "Not because you're Klaus, but because you're _Klaus._ You don't feel like that about just anybody. I see it and I know it and I feel it." I threw up my hands. "But you cannot keep acting like the world is out to hurt you because it is exhausting! I can't keep up with the mood swings. I don't want to try. Being a 20-year-old vampire is already hard enough."

He stepped away like I'd punched him in the face.

Good. Because I was totally, utterly furious and fed up with his particular brand of damage. It all came pouring out, every bit.

"I was actually starting to like you! I liked that we go museums and you can tell me things nobody else knows. I liked that you're smart. You're incredibly charming when you want to be, and even more, you made me want to just let go. But oh my god, Klaus, you have got to get a better handle on your temper and your insecurities. Don't even get me started on your jealousy. All of those things turn you into the biggest asshole I have ever met, and who wants to be with someone like that? Huh?"

I jabbed my finger into his chest. "I told you I was committed to this relationship, and know what you did? You called it an _arrangement_ , which, thanks for that, by the way! It really makes me feel good to know that all this time you've viewed me in that kind of cold blooded light. Or that you felt the need to test my freakin' _trustworthiness_ when we both know you had no reason to except your own issues! What the hell were you thinking? Using Tyler's life to prove something to yourself? Have we seriously made no steps forward at all?"

He made to interrupt—again—and I cut my hand in front of his face so fast he was startled. " _I said it's my turn to talk._ That means it is your turn to listen whether you want to hear it or not. Do you know what you did today, Klaus? You hurt me. You took all the warm feelings I was building up for you and you set them back right to the beginning. You know how? By not fulfilling your side of the bargain. Not killing people was only one promise you made me. You also said that you would trust me. You said we were partners, that we would work together equally. What you did today was cut me off at the knees and expect me to just take it."

Eyes blazing, breathing hard and in no way interested in taking prisoners, I stepped into his space. "You've disrespected and insulted me. When I walk out of this room, I am going upstairs. I am going to close my door and I am going to work. I am _not_ going to speak to you until I'm good and ready. When that time comes, I'll go to you. You _will not_ come to me."

Klaus was seething, so angry that a red flush stained his cheeks. "You dare give me orders?"

"I am daring you to try and get your way in this. Go ahead."

Then I did the bravest/dumbest thing I'd ever done: I turned my back on Klaus Mikelson, the Original hybrid. I tore out of that kitchen and stomped down the hall at human speed, itching for him to come after me so I could tear him another one. He didn't, and that proved just how smart he was when I made it all the way up the stairs to my room. Just I opened my door, there was a humungous crash downstairs. It made this morning sound like a bird chirp in comparison.

It was followed by another. Then another.

I slammed the door with satisfaction.

* * *

It took hours for my rage to subside. By that time more than one room had been turned to little more than kindling. I contemplated violence of every sort. Murder. Maiming. Utter decimation.

It did nothing to quiet the roar inside.

When it deflated, fizzled, and finally disappeared into oblivion, its absence engulfed me more thoroughly than brutality had. I turned to drink then. Not a drop of wine left in the place. Or any other spirit, for that matter.

The hybrids wisely kept their distance. Artie made his rounds, carefully watching me from the sidelines. I noticed a distinct lack of appearance by the ginger roommate. No doubt at Artie's behest. I could only assume that the boy had gone to sit with Caroline's side during this battle of wills.

Caroline.

How I longed to break down her door. I wanted to watch it splinter into a thousand pieces. I wanted to prove that no barrier was strong enough to keep me away.

No barrier. But her face...It kept me rooted in my lone surviving chair at first, plagued by the paralyzing notion that nothing could make this right. Imagine having something without knowing it, and now that it was gone feeling the void keenly.

Night fell. Minutes ticked by. The weight of my choices became too much, and I stood.

I prowled from one end of my house to the other like a caged animal, the last wine bottle dangling from my fingers. Occasionally there would be a sound from above and I would halt to listen, monitoring every movement I discerned. Then it would stop and I would return to roaming.

I grew more erratic in my patterns, so deep in my cups my thoughts were having trouble gathering themselves in a semblance of coherency.

If I'd had any sense a'tall, I'd leave this suffocating scene. Get some fresh air. Have a little bloody fun to distract me.

_You made more than one promise to me._

Not in so many words. But I had allowed her to infer. I had implied. I had deceived her, and she laid out my crime before me mercilessly.

I have seen Caroline in all her forms. Resigned. Happy. Amused. Content. Aroused. In pain. Irritated. There were so many sides of her. I have been on the receiving end of her disdain. This was different. Today she stood like a virago and lashed at me with nothing more than her tongue. She had always been able to reach into me, in places no one else was aware existed.

It wasn't until ten o'clock struck that I discovered a name for this gloom.

Failure.

I'd failed.

I had disappointed Caroline.

I am Klaus Mikelson. I have lived for one thousand years. I have fought wars. I have ended them. I have risen beyond my origins and become a conqueror. Yet I could not find the words necessary to repair this situation.

When I rounded into the main hall again, stumbling over a rogue shoe, I decided I'd have enough. "You might as well stop skulking," I sneered at Artie. "I've sensed you watching me for the last three minutes."

Artie emerged from the door under the staircase, looking very at home in the shadows. He had eschewed his fedora and rolled up his sleeves, revealing those extensive tattoos he seemed so proud of. He crossed his arms and leaned a shoulder on the side of the steps. "I wasn't exactly being subtle."

"Just staying out of my way."

"You're in a hell of a mood."

I raised my bottle to that, toasting the bitter truth before downing the last little bit with a gulp. I tossed it away. It thudded on the carpet and rolled off into the darkness. "I miss the old days," I muttered.

Artie snorted. "I don't."

"You weren't there."

"I like to credit myself with enough brains to make a few deductions. A gay man running around in the 1800s? Give me the 21st century any day."

How typically shortsighted, to imagine the 1800s were as far as the hand of time reached. A paltry handful of centuries, that. Chump change in the register of my existence. I braced myself on the far wall, snorting derisively. "Did I imagine that particularly endowed female emerging from your room two months ago?"

Artie's eyes flickered up, as if he was listening for something.

I smirked, amusement flickering to life. I welcomed the chance to distract myself from my misery. "Worried your newest paramour will discover your dirty secret?"

He arched a brow. He said nothing.

How annoying. "Well?"

"You really want to talk about this?" he asked.

My irritation increased. "What else would we discuss, mate? The equally dismal state of our relationships? Perhaps we should order pizza and beer to make the atmosphere complete." I raised a finger to punctuate my point. "Better yet, a proper pub crawl. That'll do the trick." In fact, it was a capital idea.

Two sandy brows shot to his meticulously groomed hairline, and then the little bugger sighed as he pushed away from his resting place. "Alright. We'll do it this way." He put his hands on his hips and squared his shoulders. "Point one: I don't have a dismal relationship. Colby doesn't exactly bat from only one side of the plate himself. I don't foresee too many dramatics developing in that department."

He adjusted his stance. "Point two: you don't need more to drink. It's only going to make it worse."

I peeled my lips back in silent snarl. In addition to his frankly galling lack of fear of me, Artie had a level of calm zen about him that made me positively murderous. "I must confess I admire Colby's open-mindedness. But then accepting his lover's homoflexibility must have paled in comparison to accepting the supernatural element. A vampire werewolf hybrid. I thought he would have at least blinked at that."

Artie stilled. Not so calm now.

I canted my head, pretending surprise. "Oh? Has that not come up in conversation? Bad form, mate."

Triumph surged through me. At least I had won at something today.

Suddenly Artie relaxed. "What's the point in telling him? It's not as if he's going to stick around for a long time. He'll have his fun, and then he'll go running off to the next guy. Maybe a twink this time. If I've done my job right, he'll be ruined for hunks after me."

I frowned, not liking this turn in conversation. "Is this your poor attempt to draw comparisons between us?"

"You don't seem too receptive to the direct approach."

I leaned back harder on the wall."Which would be?"

"I don't know what you did. My inside source won't tell me." He appeared slightly put out by that. "I do know that Caroline thinks you are a massive dick and it probably has something to do with that Tyler/Jack/whatever guy from today."

My mood blackened still further. Focusing was becoming a problem, now that constant motion had ceased. "Get to the point," I ordered tersely.

"Figure out what you did wrong. Make it right."

My nostrils flared. "You have no idea what you are talking about."

"Don't have to. It's a basic tenet of humanity." He pinched the bridge of his nose, right under those ridiculous spectacles. "Look, how much is your pride worth?"

A great deal. There were moments when my pride was all I had left. When Mikael humiliated me. When my mother rejected me. All I had were pride and anger. Neither of which had netted me anything of value in the case of one very vexing former beauty queen.

He looked me directly in the eye. "Is it worth fighting with Caroline?"

I blinked.

"She's going to be around for a long time, Klaus. Treat her the way you want to be treated."

Again with the juvenile advice. I felt as if I were on the receiving end of one of those insipid animated shows. The ones that sought to instruct children on the merits of good citizenship and the evils of running with scissors.

I turned and stalked away. "Just do your job, Artie, before I ask myself yet again why I keep you around."

I found myself in the library at loose ends. The light was too poor to vent through painting. Besides that, my current state of intoxication would likely yield results on par with that dreadful Dr. Seuss. Reading would be an likewise massive failure. I was therefore forced to sit in one of the untouched chairs and stare into the darkness. Wonderful. Now I was borrowing some of Stefan Salvatore's brooding techniques. All that lacked was a glass of whiskey.

I growled at the reminder of Mystic Falls.

With nothing else to occupy me, my thoughts inevitably returned to Caroline. That scene in the kitchen replayed itself. I was making good progress in the search for the mysterious box sender. All it took was a little door-to-door research at the old apartment building. Add a dash of compulsion, and several interesting facts revealed themselves.

It seemed someone leased an apartment under a false name. It was only for a few days, but the superintendent was quite put out by the fact that the renter moved out without paying her bill.

_Her_ bill.

He was not able to describe her face with any useful detail, rendering my artistic talents null, but he did have a name for the management company my new quarry had also defrauded.

It was only a matter of time.

I was feeling good when the call came. Text alerts throughout the day kept me updated on Caroline's whereabouts and activities. Detailed plans concerning the remainder of the day—first with brochures, then with copious amounts of seduction—formed in my mind like wild blooms. Our encounter this morning left me painfully dissatisfied.

I was optimistic.

And then the call. Tyler bloody Lockwood. Always sticking in his nose where he wasn't wanted.

My lips curled at the memory.

The idea to test her came suddenly. A whim. Tyler Lockwood's petty life never amounted much with me; it was the chance to restore balance that I cared about. The chance to demonstrate once and for all that that no one threatened me and got away with it.

When Caroline lied about Tyler's identity, a very real fear seized me. It as cliché, the reuniting of old lovers. Especially when the devil was finally about to get his due. Killing Tyler would only cement his martyrdom in Caroline's eyes. I would be left with nothing.

I could not tolerate that idea.

So why not use the little mongrel for something bigger and better than the usual death and dramatics? I would lay two paths before Caroline. She would have one chance, and one chance only, to choose the right one. Prove to me all the rules and regulations she'd touted had meaning.

She did.

I won.

I lost.

This was intolerable. Did I not do as she wanted? Did the whelp not yet live? She chose to be honest. Could she not see? Could she not understand why I did it?

I lurched to my feet, suddenly unable to keep away. I wanted to speak to her. I wanted to say...things. Something. Anything. Better than this merciless silence.

I made it to the stairs and managed to climb without pitching headfirst over the rail. I didn't risk flashing. I was foxed, not moronic.

In minutes I found myself in front of her cold, unmoving door. I fumbled with the handle, but did not dare put effort behind it. "Caroline."

I heard movement, but no acknowledgment. She'd meant what she'd said; she would not talk to me. She would rather have had me stay away, but I couldn't. It wasn't like before, when I broke her trust by stealing her journal. In her mind I had betrayed one of the basic accords that existed between us. Without that, what did she have?

I leaned my forehead against the door frame, feeling old and wretched. "I hated every second you were with him."

The movement paused. Then there was a sliding sound. I could hear her heartbeat.

She was listening at the door.

"At first I barely noticed your existence. All I wanted was the doppelganger. I wanted my birthright. I delighted at the discovery of Stefan and the possibility of creating an army. You were just another vapid blonde human. An easy tool to use as leverage. Against Tyler. Against your mother. Dispensable."

I swallowed. I was rambling. "I often wonder if I could have prevented this...attachment I have to you. If there was an exact moment at which I could have turned away, said something different, and somehow altered my course. I like control. This is far, far from it. I was pulled down a rabbit hole there was no escaping from."

I placed my palm on the cool wood, imagining her face on the other side, her ear pressed close. I hurt, the knot in my chest a persistent throb. "Today...was not about trust. I needed to be chosen."

That's all it was. That was all it had ever been.

All those tears she cried for him...

I squeezed my eyes shut, hating how vulnerable I was, how exposed. It was a raw wound that I disliked even Caroline to see.

I staggered away from the door, desperate to get away. I would find some other means of apologizing.

I was barely a foot in the direction of the stairs when the door opened. There was Caroline, cheeks and eyes puffy, staring at me with an unreadable expression.

"The only way you're going to know that," she said without a trace of choler, "is if you let me go."

I blanched, every part of me recoiling from the idea.

She saw.

Fuck. Simply...fuck.

I stared at the carpet without seeing. This was hopeless. I could see that now. I was driving us further into some hole I had no way of digging us out of.

Something brushed my hand.

My head whipped around. I stared in astonishment down at her delicate fingers as she clasped mine. Too much alcohol had caused me to hallucinate. That had to be the only explanation.

Yet when I squeezed, the sensation was real.

Caroline was not angry. Nor was she warm. She stood with that same lack of animation, as if all the energy had been drained from her. She seemed...tired.

I inhaled, drawing air into unpleasantly constricted lungs.

She barely looked at my face. "You should come inside. Colby isn't here and you're drunk."

Exhausting. That was what she called me in the kitchen.

She turned and pulled me after her, leading me to the bed I picked out for her. Even in the darkness she radiated weariness.

My heart clenched.

In a blur I seized her about the waist and hauled her into my body, burying my face in her nape. I wrapped our joined hands around until they covered her heart. She arched. "Klaus-"

"I'm ugly inside," I rasped. "I know that." I could smell the wine and other spirits on my breath, felt the dizziness moving too fast had caused. She would think this nothing more than a drunken confession, but I did not care.

"And in love," I whispered, miserable.

She stilled. "What?"

"In love." I stumbled when she turned, half falling to the floor. She caught me, but just barely. We ended up sitting on the floor together, the plush carpet muffling the sound. She knelt before me, all pale beauty and wicked yearning, swimming through my vision. "With you. Pitifully in love with you."

"Oh, Klaus." There was something there, something in her expression that hurt me. "You're not pitiful." She smoothed a hand over my brow. "You just never learned how to express yourself in a healthy way."

I closed my eyes and nuzzled her palm. "I want to be. Want to be a good man for you. Someone you'll want."

"Hey." She grasped my face in both hands. "Look at me."

I did, but I prayed for the alcohol to send me into that blissful oblivion. I did not want to see any more of her exhaustion. Her disappointment.

Instead I saw big eyes, steady and earnest. "You can only hurt someone if they care about you. You hurt me today because I care, okay? I care a lot. If you want that to turn into love, you have to be careful. You have to keep promises. You have to remember that it's not just you anymore. You're now half of an _us_. Decisions affect more than one person, and if you don't remember that, you'll end up hurting the person you don't want to hurt."

She brushed my cheeks with her thumbs. My all-American southern belle. My personal Madonna. And here I was, prostrated at her feet like a wretched fool.

"I love you too much," I said. It was not a defense. It was an admission. My way of telling her that I understood that darkness in myself.

She smiled a little. "Yeah. But if you treat me right and not pull stupid alpha male stuff like today, I'll love you back."

I leaned into her warmth, wanting to lose myself in it—and nearly toppled the rest of the way to the carpet.

She lunged forward and steadied me. "Whoa there! Okay, enough chitchat. Time to get you to bed."

She had to use her considerable vampire strength to haul me to my feet. My mind was drowning in alcohol, and my aforementioned feet were not cooperative in the least. We zigzagged to the bed in twice as much time as it might have taken sober.

Caroline felt tiny under my arm. Another person might look at her and pity the work a seemingly fragile woman like her was forced to do.

I knew better, though. Caroline was strong. I was powerful, but she, _she_ was strong.

"For future reference," she grunted as she came up alongside the mattress, "drinking for the sake of drowning your sorrows is soooo Rochester of you."

I judged the distance between myself and the feathery comfort before me with a critical eye. "Better than wailing on a bloody couch, tears spewing forth from mine eyes."

Her hip jutted out suddenly, altering my course before I could adjust. I tipped over bonelessly, the momentum turning me sideways. I felt right onto the bed and nearly retched then and there. "Fuck me," I groaned before I remembered there was a lady present. "Far too quick," I ended with slur.

Caroline stood over me with her hands on her hips, amusement warring with exasperation. "Right, because ripping your house to pieces after a fight is a much manlier way to act out."

I squinted. Two Carolines. Now, this I could get used to. I waved my hand imperiously at the one standing on the left, "We will need new furniture. See to it."

She barked out an incredulous laugh. "Oh, we're going to, don't you worry about that."

"You." I pointed at the Caroline I was fairly certain was standing to the right. "You shall make an excellent consort. Yes, I quite like the sound of that. 'S regal. Befitting of my regard and my status in the supernatural underworld."

"And now we are at the delusions of grandeur part of the evening," was the dry reply.

I let my head plop back on the pillow, taking in deep cleansing breaths. "'Tis infinitely better than _girlfriend_. What a thoroughly inadequate nomenclature."

"God, you get wordy when you're drunk." She began to pull on the covers beneath me, fighting with them and my body weight so that she could tug them down to my feet. "Lift your butt."

I obeyed. "I like language."

She covered me. "I see that."

I inhaled. I enjoyed her nearness, reveled in the way she tucked the blanket around me. It was clear she had not forgiven me, but even my alcohol soaked mind could discern a distinct lack of anger. "Language is like painting," I declared suddenly.

I captured her silky hair, the one tendril that had escaped the messy bun on her head. I wrapped it 'round and 'round my finger, wishing there was a lamp turned on nearby so that I could catalog the colour properly.

She went motionless, half sitting on the bed, half leaning over me. "I have had dreams," I said as I looked at my captured prize, "Wonderful, golden dreams, where the sun reminds me of wheat and I can smell loamy earth and the slightly sour tinge of wet wood. I think it might be the forests of Prussia, well before Napoleon swept through Europe. There I am wild and free to do as I will, a creature that is neither man nor animal. Somewhere in those trees is my mate. She is my equal. She is my prey. She is the one I take to ground with all the fury and passion I possess, who cries out in delight when I toss up her dress and fuck her without mercy. She claws at my back and curses me with every thrust into her beautiful quim, threatening my life if I allow even a single drop of cum to slip from her pussy. She wants me with a fervor that equals my own, and when we are both spent, we sooth each other with kisses."

I raised my gaze slowly to meet hers, the last word fading into a heavy silence. Caroline's statue stillness was absolute. Her eyes were round. Her hands gripped the blanket so tight she was in danger of rending it in two.

And the smell of her arousal was powerful.

"Well?" I prompted lazily. "Would you like me to repeat that in Italian?"

"I don't think I'd live through it," she replied faintly.

I smiled, a sense of peace spreading across my chest. "Words, my love. Powerful tools indeed." The release of tension in my body was having an adverse affect. Sleep was already beginning to close in, causing my eyes to droop. I struggled to resist, but the pull was significant.

Small hands finished smoothing the cover over my shoulders, and then my finger was gently untangled from her hair. "Get some shut eye, Klaus. We'll use those words of yours in the morning."

I wanted to reply...wanted to say something...

But oblivion finally rushed in to claim me.

**To be continued...**

* * *

**1\. I don't know where all this inspiration is coming from, except for maybe all of your fantastic feedback and reviews. I'm loving how much people are enjoying this story. I mean, come on, introducing other readers to it? That's adoration.**

**2\. Frankly, Klaus and Caroline are killing me with the feels, but I'm forming a tentative timeline in my head that might get this story finished before we all get too old to see :)**


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to say a sincere thank you to every person who has read and reviewed thus far. This is to Shadow_Belle, who probably is the person that gets me the most.

When I awoke to sunlight stabbing me in the eyes, I released a string of the filthiest curses in my vast vocabulary.

"I thought you might say that," came a smoky, amused voice.

Had I the energy to twist my torso without making an utter cake of myself, I would have. I barely had the fortitude to turn my head and squint, a hand clutching the pillow to the side of my aching head. I peered at the blurry shape of Caroline. She had pulled a wingback chair to the side of the bed, her long legs bent and tucked up under her chin. Her hair was brushed, and yet the most I could detect was a simple change of one set of pajamas for another.

She looked the picture of health.

I may or may not have hated her in that moment, purely out of envy.

I dropped my head to the pillow, swallowing back bile. "What the bloody hell happened?"

"Oh, I think you know."

Every mortifying memory of the previous night attacked my beleaguered brain. It unfolded in such brutal clarity that I reeled from it. _Jesu_.

Oblivious to, or perhaps ignoring, my inner turmoil, Caroline pointed at the nightstand. "I've brought all of the essentials. Water. Aspirin." She picked up something beside her. "Puke bucket." She shook it for emphasis.

She might as well have thrown nails on my forehead. It had the effect on my headache.

"I also brought you breakfast. You have a choice of bagged blood, chicken noodle soup, or crepes with Nutella. Now that I think about it, though, I should definitely take the Nutella crepes for myself. Don't know how chocolate will affect that canine part of you."

"Caroline," I croaked. "Stop talking."

She flashed me a dirty grin. Evil wench. "You're lucky to be alive," she remarked as she stood and mercifully went to pull the curtains closed. "I counted the bottles this morning. That kind of alcohol would have killed a normal person."

"Thank God for a hybrid constitution," I bit out sourly. I didn't feel alive. I felt disgusting. There was something vile in my mouth and I was certain members of the Spanish Inquisition had it in for my pounding temples. Nevertheless, I sighed with relief when the curtains swooshed closed, plunging the room in shadier version of itself.

I chose everything here—the beachwood fourposter bed with gauze draped over the canopy, the dark carpet, even the artwork. It was light and airy, breezy and fresh. I surrounded Caroline in soft, clean colors.

If I'd known I would eventually sleep off a bender and wake with the hangover of the ages, I wouldn't have chosen so much bloody white.

I expended enough energy to tilt and reach blindly for the bucket. My fingers tapped the rim, and I dragged it closer to the bed, making certain I knew exactly where it was.

Caroline did not return to her chair. She came to stand at the bottom of the bed, leaning on the post and staring at me expectantly. "Let's use those words now, Klaus."

"Kicking me when I'm down? I expected more from the chairman of the Mystic Falls Beautification Committee." It felt good to retreat behind my sharp wit. At least there was some way to deviate her attention from my embarrassment.

"I know you're not exactly in the best condition, but I need to get this off of my chest."

"Save it. I'm not in the mood."

"Maybe you will be once you hear what I have to say."

I have had actual torture that was not so painful as this. That particular enemy was an inept yet reasonably lucky human, of course, but why split hairs? "Caroline-"

"Klaus, I'm sorry."

I paused. Peered up at her.

She licked her lips, looking for all the world as if she were nervous. That never boded well. I grew guarded. "What for?"

A flush painted her pretty cheek. She opened her mouth. Closed it. Sighed in frustration. "Okay, first of all," she said as she left the post to walk to my side, "you owe Colby for this. He's the one that gave me a firm talking to while you were asleep." She grimaced. "He was not nice about it."

If I could have arched my eyebrows without dislodging the crown of my head, I would have.

She sat with another sigh, her arse inches from my arm. I felt her heat and smelled her inviting scent. Citrus. Was it a special perfume? Or was it simply Caroline?

Perhaps this was just another fevered dream. I could not imagine in what circumstances the ginger roommate would dash to be my champion.

My nausea increased. "You are avoiding the question."

She closed her eyes. Praying for strength? "Yesterday I gave you a really hard time. Which you totally deserved, by the way. I'm not saying sorry for that. I am apologizing because...I acted like I wasn't guilty of the same thing."

I blinked. "You will have to be clearer than that."

"Using Tyler was one of those douche moves you're famous for, but what you said about wanting to be chosen is true for me too." She opened her eyes and picked at her pajama pants, avoiding my gaze. "I wanted you to choose me over your revenge. That's why I scraped together the guts to tell you. I wanted to see what you'd decide. I felt like everything we had would be okay if you would just be the good guy for once. Like you were a lab rat and you had to choose the right button or something."

She shook her head. "Stupid. You're not the good guy."

My fist bunched in the pillow.

"You're Klaus. And Colby basically told me to stop being a hypocrite."

"What are you saying, Caroline?" I narrowed my eyes, nausea temporarily set aside as my entire being focused on this moment. "Be very clear."

"I'm saying that even though you shouldn't have used Tyler against me like that, we're both in the wrong. I'm sorry." She hesitated, then reached over and put her hand on my chest. Right in the center, neither over my heart or away from it. A very telling gesture. "We've got issues. I'm not going to deny that. You want to be totally secure in the knowledge that I love you and I want to be totally sure I won't come home to a massacre and a couple of shrunken heads."

"Shrunken heads are too much work," I replied lightly. My anxiety was disappearing. Caroline had apologized to me. She admitted that she had made a mistake. That did not erase my own, but it put us back on a more even keel. For that I was infinitely grateful.

I covered her hand with my own, flattening it against my shirt. I even chanced placing my remaining hand on the knee that half hung from the bed. "I'll have to thank Colby for his interference."

Her lips quirked. "I think he was just paying me back for yesterday morning." The smile faded. "Don't ever use someone against me like that again, Klaus. That hurt."

It hurt because she cared. That's what she said last night. I remembered that as clearly as I remembered babbling my love for her like a swain serenading a lover on a balcony.

My grip on her hand tightened. "Caroline...what I said..." I struggled for the words. "I hope you do not take much of it personally."

Delicate brown eyebrows drew together in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Dammit all. I licked my lips, trying to search out a delicate way to phrase the statement.

She cocked her head, eyes knowing. "Oh, you mean about your dream? Don't worry about it. In fact I kind of-" she cleared her throat, flush growing "- _appreciated_ it."

I was too deep in my misery to even feel gratified by that admission. "Not that. The other thing."

"What other thing?"

"My..."

She stared at me, then slowly grew stiff. Even her hand felt cold beneath mine. "Klaus, are you trying to say you regret telling me you love me?"

My entire body went rigid at the reminder. She said it so casually, as if my world had not tipped on its access and my heart had not been unwrapped and handed over. "It is not something to be taken lightly," I told her through thin lips.

"And I don't." She blinked her big eyes, that particular look of contemplation crossing her features. "Are you embarrassed?" She sounded as if she could not quite make herself believe it.

Thereby deepening my wish to simply disappear from that bed. I refused to answer.

Suddenly her entire body relaxed. "Oh, Klaus." She smiled, a tiny tender thing that she didn't seem to realize she shone at me. "It's scary to say it the first time, right? Like your heart is going to bust right out of your chest if you say it, then drop right to your feet and crack if you don't. Don't worry," she added, leaning over and putting her head on my chest, her fingers pressed between the two.

I wanted to wrap my arms around her. I couldn't. "Don't pity me."

"Why would I? You're Klaus. The big bad hybrid. Most powerful creature on the planet, right? A little thing like saying _I love you_ is nothing compared to living for a thousand years."

"Wait until you live that long," I muttered under my breath.

She laughed. "You're okay with me seeing you literally falling down drunk, but you don't like that I heard you say three little words? Don't you feel just a tiny bit better now that it's out in the open?"

"No." I crooked my arm around her at last. "I have trusted something precious into the hands of a baby vampire less than a quarter of a century old."

"Yeah. Cradle robber."

I chuckled despite myself. It was a painful, yet cathartic experience. It was a pitiful joke, but she had made it. She wanted to inject humor into the situation. Mere hours ago the walls of my inadequacy were closing in around me. The future no longer seemed so bleak, and yet...

Something was not quite right. She was a balm to me, a comfort, and still I sensed that restless boy pacing inside. I had not satisfied him. "Caroline...I...regret the discord between us yesterday. It was not well done of me."

She said nothing at first. Then she nodded, the motion setting a play of muted light over her hair. "And the other stuff? Being my partner? If we keep throwing these tests at each other, it's going to wear us out. Nobody wants that kind of stress in their lives."

"I'm not the perfect Original. Elijah has a monopoly on that particular title. I find, however, that your disappointment is gut-wrenching." That was another side effect of this love business. Caroline's approval was not necessary for me to live, but oh, the sweet taste of it was addictive. "I cannot promise I will not be tempted to test you. I cannot promise that I will be able to resist temptation."

She raised her head, wary, waiting.

I wished I could continue, to order my thoughts into something worth speaking. Had I told Caroline that I loved language? Why did it choose now to fail me? How to tell her that there was something broken within me, something small but significant, one that craved reassurance?

She ran her eyes over my face, unafraid. "You could just ask me how I feel about you. Whenever you feel insecure, I can make you feel better. All you have to do is come to me."

It could not be that easy. It would not be that easy. But in that moment I felt an incandescent kernel of hope take root under my collarbone, somewhere in the vicinity of my heart.

She stirred. "Actually, this is a little embarrassing, but...here." She got up and I let her, too ill to make a true effort against it. Curiosity also spurred the decision, and I watched as best I could as she grabbed her purse and proceeded to rummage through it. She returned to my side doing just that, her brow furrowed intently. "Ah ha!"

She held up a small square box with a ribbon triumphantly. The green and gold glittered a little. "Found it!"

She handed it to me.

I stared at it.

"Well, go on." She motioned. "Take it. It's yours."

Mine?

I cautiously reached out, wondering what exactly this meant. Still lying prone, I carefully pulled at the ribbon. It slid off without mishap, and then I removed the lid...

...to reveal a wallet.

I stared at it blankly. I did not even take it out of the box. It was well made, brown, unexceptional. A normal, every day wallet.

Caroline fidgeted beside me. "Do you like it?"

Many things became clear to me in that moment. Firstly, Caroline had exchanged money for this. She had purchased something with me in mind. That meant she wanted to do something that would impress or please me. She wanted confirmation of either. That meant she was just as interested in my approval, no matter how small, as I was in hers.

A smile slowly lifted the corners of my mouth. It began small, then grew, then spread until it felt as though my cheeks would stretch out of proportion from the force of it. I looked up at her, and I could not form my pleasure into any other word than, "Yes."

She grinned back, brilliant and happy.

I wanted to draw that. I wanted to keep it for myself for all eternity.

"Good," she said with a delighted nod. Then she leaned over and whacked me on the thigh. "Fill it with money. We're going shopping."

"Shopping?" I repeated, still smiling but confused. "Now?"

"Yes, now. Do you have any idea what you did to your house last night? Jesus, Klaus, I'm surprised the cops didn't show up. Get up, eat your soup—I've got the crepes—get a shower because, oh god, you smell, and let's go."

I ignored her comment about my odor. She had no need to point it out when my nose was as keen as hers. I was too busy being filled with dismay at the daunting task set before me. "Surely shopping can wait. I'm barely awake."

"Whose fault is that?" She assumed a no nonsense stance. "It's four o'clock in the afternoon, Klaus. Up and at 'em. I've laid some clothes out for you in your room. You've got half an hour. Chop chop!"

I cast about for an escape. I considered a bribe. I considered beating my chest in the proverbial alpha male manner of standing my ground. All of that withered with one look from Caroline Forbes.

xxxxx

We went shopping at the same furniture store. Boy were _they_ surprised to see me so soon. I caught more than a few curious glances, but people were too polite to voice their questions. Still, Klaus was hot even when he was suffering a hangover. He was pale and a little grumpy, but he looked great in the white shirt and blue button up I'd laid out for him. They framed his lanky but corded body well. Throw in a couple of his usual necklaces and his British accent, and there was silent swooning to be had. I heard the two saleswomen whisper about it. So did Klaus. I could tell by the way his lips quirked. He was the second good looking man they'd seen me with in as many days. Each dropped an obscene amount of money for home furnishings. Three guesses how they thought I lived my life.

_Caroline: Keeper of the Golden Cootchie._

It kinda had a ring to it.

I smothered my laugh behind a hand.

Klaus' gaze warmed.

Shopping with him was a totally different experience. Basically, I sat back and watched him work. Klaus knew exactly what he wanted and how he wanted it. We were in the store less than an hour, really, and it wasn't even a punishment unless you counted getting him out of bed.

I started feeling guilty about that about ten minutes after we arrived. Klaus handled all the details like a pro, but the longer we were there the greener he got. It wasn't like teaching Artie a lesson about messing with my roomie/bestie. I didn't like the way Klaus had to rub his temples. I didn't like that he probably would still be at home, comfortable, if it wasn't for me. Who was I to punish him anyway? Yes, he did something wrong, but the hangover should have been enough.

I sat on a chair off to the side most of the time, chewing on my fingernails and watching Klaus' every move. I kept feeling worse and worse, until I was practically begging him to get us out of there. We needed to get food into him and soon.

He pulled out his brand new wallet when it came time to pay. The sight of it sent a little jolt of pleasure through my sternum. He was using it. He liked it. Hell, he nearly blinded me with his beaming when I gave it to him. I watched as he waited at the register, pretending to stare into my surprisingly good coffee. He stroked the wallet absently with his thumb. Kind of like the way he brushed my cheek sometimes. I don't think he even knew he did it.

I smiled into the cup.

I'd be a liar if I said I was okay with what happened the day before. Colby was right though; even if the way he went about it totally sucked the big one, I knew what it was like to want to be chosen. I remember how hard it was to stop myself from making sure I was still the one that got picked. In a lot of ways I had the chance to learn what Klaus never did thanks to Matt and Tyler. I guess that's what life is: learning from every person you meet and taking something away from the encounter.

We were both a little bruised and beat up emotionally by what happened, but hey, we were still here. We still had our talk. We communicated. Did I forgive him too easily? Some people might say so. I probably would have said so a couple of weeks ago. The thought of making Klaus grovel did have its attractions.

What would be the point, though? It wouldn't solve anything. It would just drag things out. I wanted to move on. I wanted to build some more on the foundation that we had which, despite what I believed in the heat of the moment, actually still existed. Klaus made me angry and he poked a lot of holes in my trust, but he didn't kill it totally. Last night's binge was real remorse on his part. I'd never seen him that...I don't know, blue before. Like he was afraid I'd hate him.

I didn't.

The only thing I could say with confidence was that yesterday wasn't going to be repeated. I'd made my feelings clear and we got it all aired out. He knew. I just had to wonder if he'd take me up on my offer of just asking me when he got insecure. Only time would tell.

He got things wrapped up and came toward me. I set the cup aside and rose, taking his arm. I liked that about him. I also liked the confident way he'd gone through all the motions even when he was as sick as he was. People are right; confidence is sexy.

Being sick? Not so much.

So I took him to a kebab place I knew about downtown. I ordered for both of us and even told him to put his money away. I could afford about fifteen bucks worth of food at least. We stood outside under an umbrella, where a tall table was available to put our food on. There were no chairs. That was the point. People stood here, ate, chatted, and then went back to work. Klaus and I people-watched. It wasn't the usual scouting for prey type of thing either. It was a nice afternoon and people were enjoying the sunshine.

Klaus watched them through a thick pair of sunglasses, of course. They made him look devilish and mysterious.

Somewhere out there were the other hybrids, keeping watch over us, but it was easy to forget about them. The more Klaus ate, the better he looked. The bread was absorbing the hellacious amount of whatever in his stomach. I mean, if anyone else had seen the number of bottles I'd picked up...well, let's just say I was glad he was a hybrid. That amazing ability to bounce back really helped. In less than twenty minutes Klaus seemed like his usual self. He made comments. He teased.

"You made the crepes?"

"Yes, for the last time, I made the crepes. Why do you keep asking?"

"I simply find it difficult to imagine you slaving over a hot stove."

I snorted. "I didn't slave. They're easy, and what wouldn't I do for Nutella?"

His lashes fanned over his cheek, and he smiled that naughty smirk of his.

I rolled my eyes. "Perv."

"I was simply wondering how much an international company such as that would cost me. Germans can be quite territorial in regards to their chocolate."

"Can we get another one of those cakes? That was _amazing_."

He gestured with his hand as if to say of course. "I can phone her now if you like. Put in an order to pick up."

"Uh, yes!" I could practically taste the goodness.

While he pulled out his cell and made the call, I watched him. He really did look good. I've always known he was attractive, but a lot of things happened lately that made me appreciate it more. Last night I saw him at one of the lowest lows a person could fall to. Today he was relaxed. Yesterday he was playful. The day before that he was protective. There were many, many sides to Klaus Mikelson. The fact that I got to see more than a lot of other people did made me feel special. The stuff that wasn't the least bit physical enhanced him somehow. Like I knew him better than anyone else.

Then again, I thought with a rueful smile, how many women out there thought the same thing about their men?

I paused in the middle of brushing back a curl that had fallen out of my ponytail. I frowned. _Their men?_ Did I seriously just group Klaus in with, you know, a possessive?

Well, hot damn. I did.

I slanted a glance at him, wondering if he'd noticed. He seemed to see stuff that I didn't want him to see. He just kept chatting in German, though, staring off to the side a little. I toyed with my cheap bow earrings, biting my lip a little. We'd just had a fight and a make up lunch. Maybe it was hormones?

Oh hell. Why deny it? I told him I cared about him. It's not like that was a lie. And the more time I spent with him, the worse it was going to get. Why? Because he was Klaus. Because there was a lot more to him than met the eye, and even the ugly things gave him dimension. He was so much more than anybody else I'd ever met.

He made me feel like more than I was.

I meant what I told him about falling in love if he treated me right. I guess I was a lot closer to the edge than I'd thought. It wasn't love, not quite, but the more my heart went out to him for other reasons, the more I wanted to gather him up and say everything would be okay. Even when I knew good and well Klaus was the last person on Earth that needed me protecting his back.

How far from love was that, really?

I looked down at the table, curling my hand around my soda.

When he got off of the phone, I didn't wait for him to tell me about the cake. I wasn't interested in the details. I was interested in enjoying a nice, normal day with a man I was coming to think of as my guy. "Let's go for a walk," I said.

I think he blinked behind the sunglasses. "Alright."

We got rid of our trash and started off into the pedestrian zone. Just a vampire and a hybrid out for a stroll. _Nothing to see here_ , I thought with a chuckle.

Feeling bold, I reached for his hand and took it in mine. Then I totally played it off like it was no big deal, pointing at a window to distract him. He didn't say anything, but he squeezed my fingers. God, I didn't know I'd feel giddy like this again about someone. Especially not him. Definitely not with the way we started out.

We just...I don't know. We were learning how to be together. Courting was a lot like tango with us. We pulled back and forth, just about to boil over with a thousand feelings all the time. I mean, _all the freakin' time_. This was nice. A good change of pace. It reminded me that it didn't have to be all aggression and suppressed desire. Sometimes it was just good to let go and exist.

I knew that feeling wouldn't last forever. I wanted to enjoy it while it did.

I just never thought it would turn as suddenly as it did.

We had been window shopping and talking for about an hour and a half. The street we were on was pedestrian only. No cars. With the good weather, that meant the street was practically choking with people doing the same thing we were. We were having ice cream. Strawberry for me. Chocolate for Klaus.

It figured.

"So let me ask you something," I started, swirling the spoon in my cup to get the last dredges. "Being so old, you've seen a lot of people."

"Your deference to my age is heartwarming," he drawled dryly.

"Do you ever see someone repeat, like, get born again? Other than the doppelganger."

"Are you referring to past lives? Reincarnation?"

Damn. The cup was empty. I walked over to the public trash can, Klaus close behind. "It's the idea of it, you know? One soul moving on to another body. I think I'd like that."

"What, no heavenly reward for you, love? One would hardly believe you grew up in the Bible Belt."

I wiped my hands on my jeans. "Can vampires go to Heaven?" I didn't worry about other people hearing me. For all they knew, I was a ditzy blonde bully my boyfriend with a _Twilight_ discussion.

Klaus paused in the act of licking his spoon. It made a perfect picture, his full lips and the tiny pink utensil. "Caroline, if you are destined for anything, it is certainly not Hell."

Aw. That was sweet. "Just think about how many people are born in a thousand years. I mean, I can't even come up with a number. Assuming just half of them go to Heaven and the other to Hell, it just seems to me that both would run out of room in a hurry."

Klaus chuckled and tossed his treat. "Multiple religions believe in reincarnation. Many believe it's essential for building good character. One must die in order to learn what it is to really live."

"Which means you've been cheating like a big dog this whole time," I concluded.

He caught my hand again and we walked. "Ah, southernisms. I do miss those from time to time. To answer your question, love, I have not personally born witness to a soul's reemergence. Each of the doppelgangers is as different to the other as the sun and the moon."

I almost rolled my eyes at how he "sneaked" that reference in there. "Would you want it to be true?"

"I ought to use this opportunity to claim we have met before, that we are two lovers destined to be reunited again and again until the end of time." He slanted me a wicked grin. "Oughtn't I?"

I wanted to say that I would gag on the cheese-

but I never got to.

The crowd we had been flowing with suddenly began to part, this gradual division that was so minute that I didn't realize what was happening until it was too late. People tend to move in herds; they go where the rest go, and the rest were encountering a kind of rock in the middle of the proverbial stream. Three steps. That's all it took.

At the first step, I noticed the guy in the black hoodie walking in the wrong direction of travel.

At the second step, I realized he was going to barrel right through us. I moved to avoid.

On the third step, he sprang. The knife glinted in the sunlight as he jumped at Klaus.

Humans see 24 images a second. All they would see was some hooded guy jump another pedestrian, like two drunks in a brawl.

Vamp vision is better. I saw a man. I smelled a werewolf. I glimpsed the knife, and I just reacted.

I shoved Klaus out of the way just as the guy jumped. I really didn't think, but if I had, I expected Klaus to come up from behind and take the dude out, so I just punched him in the jaw.

But it didn't work like that. The guy feinted at the last minute, grinning at me as he sidestepped my punch. It takes a lot to be faster than a vampire.

Klaus' grunt of mangled pain and fury distracted me. I looked.

Another man smiled at me over Klaus' shoulder. He was dressed like a normal guy. No black hood. No fashion announcement of his intention.

Just a long knife currently sticking out of Klaus' side.

The first guy was a diversion. The second was the real attacker. I paled.

I'd pushed Klaus right into the man's arms.

I got clocked right in the face a millisecond after that. Bone crunched. Pain exploded. I stumbled.

Klaus didn't hesitate; he reached down with claws distended and slashed the dude's thigh. Blood gushed. Artery torn. The man screamed. Klaus twisted and swiped his hand right across his throat, cutting off the sound in gurgle.

I grabbed my broken nose but didn't linger. Hell no. I was pissed. I was scared. I was really, REALLY not going to let this go down without a fight.

No more victim.

People around us were yelling. It was pandemonium. They were running everywhere. It happened so fast, right in that public place with kids and teenagers and everybody in between staring in horror at what was going on.

I backhanded the sonofabitch that dared to hit me—black eyes? SERIOUSLY?-and followed him when he fell backward, kicking him in the stomach hard enough to rupture something. One of the hybrids that was supposed to be protecting us finally pushed through the people just in time to see the punk get knocked down. Somebody rushed by and accidentally hit him. He whacked his head on one of the benches that wrapped around a tree.

There was a sound. I can't tell you what.

But he collapsed and he didn't move.

The hybrid knelt, feeling his pulse. "Dead. Come on, we've got to go. The police are coming."

"Where were you?" I demanded while holding my nose. I was beyond furious. Wasn't this guy supposed to be protecting us? "What _the fuck_ were you doing, eating a donut?"

And Klaus-

Oh my god. Klaus.

Two arms went around me and he was there, covered in splattered blood. "Go," he thundered.

We went. We ran as fast as we could without tipping people off to our otherness until we got to the little alleys, and then we flashed to the car.

Dammit, the car! All the windows were smashed in. Someone had taken baseball bats to it. Klaus looked in and swore, pulling me back.

But not before I saw. Rats. Dead rats. What looked like a box of them had been dumped into the backseat.

Klaus let out a roar of frustration. He seized the hybrid by the neck, forgetting himself just enough to lift him off of the ground. "Where were you?" He pressed his claws hard enough to draw blood. More blood.

"There were others," the guy choked out. "All attacked at the same time. They were waiting for you. Clockwork."

"If you are lying to me, I will take great pleasure in measuring the length of your entrails." Klaus dropped him, then grabbed his cell. "Artie. Another car. Now. The usual place."

The knife was still in his side. "Klaus," I choked. "You're hurt."

He yanked it out and flung it at the car. It embedded with a thunk and a screech as it tore though metal.

Abruptly he was in front of me. The scuffle had knocked his sunglasses off at some point, giving me a direct view into the impotent rage boiling in him. "Caroline," he rasped. "What did he do to you?"

No time for tears, though I wanted to cry. I didn't think he'd die from a little stab wound like that, but it was my fault he got hurt. "I'm sorry,"I told him. "I'm so sorry."

"Come here." He took my face in his hands, the thumbs pressing firmly on my skin. "Ready?"

He didn't wait for a reply.

Pain exploded twice in what seemed like a matter of seconds times eternity. How long had it been since he was holding my hand? What year was it that we were eating ice cream?

We didn't linger. We ran. We got away, but we weren't safe.

We definitely weren't safe.

That knowledge rang in my head long after Artie picked us up and got us back to the house. By then my black eyes healed and Klaus' wound was closed, but the damage was done. I kept replaying it over and over. Was that how quick violence could burst into our lives?

I got out of the car on my own two feet, but Klaus was quick to take me by the arm. I didn't protest. I wanted to be closer to him, even when we went past everybody and everything and went directly up to my room. Thank God Colby was in class. I honestly don't know how we would have explained it to him.

When the door closed behind us, I looked down at my clothes. Blood spattered. Same as Klaus, who turned without another word. I thought he'd hug me. I thought he'd yell. Threaten to lock me up. Lose his mind. I put myself in danger. Well, we were both in danger, but I was still there. Klaus wasn't the kind of guy that would handle that very well.

And I made him get hurt. It was an accident, but guilt got to me. How much of what happened was because I got him out of bed with a hangover?

I stared at his back. There was so much distance between us. Why wasn't he bellowing or throwing something?

I didn't want him so far from me. He was hurt. Maybe he wouldn't have died, but it was like that knife slashed me the same way it did him.

My feet moved of their own accord. I was walking. I was holding out my arms.

I was throwing myself at his back, burying my face in his shoulder blades, my hands clenched over his stomach. "God," I moaned. "God!"

Then he was turning and hugging me back, spreading little kisses on my forehead. Was I crying again? I had no idea. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to push you at him. It happened so fast-" I could feel the warm part of his shirt still soaked with blood and I shuddered. "What if you'd died?"

"No," he told me grimly, "that wasn't the aim."

I stilled, drawing back. "What do you mean?"

Klaus' face was stony. "That was a warning."

"Are you kidding me? You got stabbed!"

His eyes glittered. "He wasn't aiming for me."

It was too much. I needed answers, not implications. "Spell it out, Klaus."

"The first man was meant to distract me. You ruined the plan by knocking me off balance. He hesitated, meaning he wasn't anticipating access to me." His jaw was hard. "You were the target. They were sent to kill you. You." The word strangled him. "You may have ended up saving your own life."

I shook my head. "That doesn't make sense. I mean, sure, yeah, if hurting me hurts you, but you were right there. Why not just finish it when they had the chance?" That was always the endgame, right? Klaus dying?

His chest was rising and falling like he'd run a marathon. There was a manic light in his eye. "I killed today," he told me. "I broke my promise."

"Are you kidding me?" I almost hit him in disbelief. "That was self defense! They were going to murder us!"

I should care. People died. But people that wanted us to die. Maybe me specifically. Was I supposed to mourn my would-be killers? I didn't have the kind of energy. I wasn't even sure my compassion could reach that far.

He blinked. The mania faded a little. "You're certain?"

"Klaus, I realize that you think I'm some kind of heavenly angel or something pretty high up on the pedestal, but Jesus, there are _limits_."

He blinked again. His breathing slowed. "I knew that," he said, half to himself. "I knew that about you." He smoothed my hair back. I didn't even care that it was covered in blood.

"Of course you knew that." I had to move, had to just...I don't know, process. I pulled myself out of his arms, starting to pace the room like a lunatic. "I'm angry," I announced. "I'm so angry. How could they—and what sort of lowlife—I just want to go back there and _rip their faces to shreds_." I made a motion at that, letting him know just what I wanted.

I kept seeing that moment. That perfect awful moment when Klaus had a knife in his side and I couldn't stop it.

All of a sudden it was like there wasn't enough mayhem in the world to make up for that moment of terror I experienced.

"Caroline."

Klaus' voice was calm. Firm. He cut through the haze, just like he did at the museum. Strong hands covered my biceps. "Breathe," he ordered me. "Inhale. Now."

I obeyed. I didn't even hesitate.

"Exhale."

I did.

"Again."

Two, three times this happened, until every part of my body was buzzing with the fading adrenaline. Without looking up—I was too afraid I'd burst into tears—I raised my arms. "I need a hug."

"Oh, Caroline."

I've never heard him say it like that. I just held on when he picked me up and took me to the bed. He turned us so that he was laying under me and I was cradled in his legs. I didn't let go over his neck. I needed him. I needed his power. I needed his resolute center and that arrogance that made me believe nothing could ever really happen to us. So what if we were both covered in blood? For the first time ever, blood made me feel like we were comrades. Fellow survivors.

I've done a lot. I've seen a lot. I've felt fear. This was a special kind of fear.

I'd met the cliff. I'd toppled over.

I was freefalling.

I needed him to catch me.

xxxx

When Caroline began to pepper kisses over my jaw, I did not resist. I needed the comfort. I needed her closeness. But when the kisses came to my lips, turned devilish and deep, her tongue delving into my mouth, I grabbed her arms, making her go still above me. "No."

"Why?" she whispered.

I swallowed. "I don't know."

She brushed her hand across my stubbled cheek.

I closed my eyes to soak in her touch. The softness of her against the roughness of me. "Why?" The word forced its way out of a constricted throat.

It was pathetic to ask, really. I was wasting precious time. I had her where I wanted her. Only the desperate and lonely needed the validation I was seeking.

I opened my eyes to find her staring at me with a strange expression on her face. "Caroline?"

She blinked. "Because I..." There was a pause. She looked stunned. "Because I love you."

Every instinct in me sharpened to razor points. I said nothing; I couldn't.

"Klaus?"

My jaw clenched. Released.

"I'm baring my heart to you here," she said anxiously. "Say something."

My hand slid to her nape and pulled her down, our lips an inch away. "If you say it," I told her raggedly, "know that I will never allow you to take it back. I will hold you to it for the rest of your life." My face turned harsh and unyielding. "Even if it is a lie. Are you prepared for that, Caroline?"

She slowly blinked her big, heartbreaking eyes. "And if I don't say it? Would anything be different?"

No.

She read my silence for what it was. "Then I guess there's no point in hiding it, is there?" She cupped my face oh-so-tenderly, more gently than I could ever remember being touched. So many women over the years. Countless. Some had known what I was. Some had even reveled in it. But none had ripped a hole in my armor as Caroline did so mercilessly when she bent her head and said, "I love you, Klaus."

She blasted my defenses away with a sentence.

**_To be continued..._ **

* * *

**1\. Holy. Mother. Of. God. If I could tell you how emotionally wrung out I am, I would. There are no words. Because dammit, these two deserve to be together.**

**2\. I now have a tumblr account. You're welcome to friend or follow or whatever they call it on there :) avari20 at tumblr dot com. See you there.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear Readers,
> 
> NOT SAFE FOR WORK! If you don't like porn, don't read this chapter. If you are offended by anything other than vanilla sex, don't read this chapter. Just know that stuff happened and it was good for both parties.

I had never felt so wildly out of control in my life.

I loved control; it made me feel safe, like at least I had a grip on something even when the entire world was going to hell.

Because sometimes that's exactly how it felt.

My entire universe crumbled apart without warning more times than I could count. My dad came out and left. My mom tried to pick up the pieces but we took ages to figure out what went where. Puberty was tough, high school was tougher.

Then I died. Becoming a vampire basically tipped the scales into Twilight Zone territory—and throughout it all, I maintained a firm hold on whatever I could grab onto. Boys. The perfect table placement. Hell, I tried to beautify the entire town of Mystic Falls. I turned to the bunny diet to get a grip on my hunger. Until this moment, my life had been a steady stream of me trying to mold my own world into a place I could live in.

Because I didn't trust anyone else to do it for me. I didn't trust them to catch me.

Klaus caught me. Then he wrapped me up in verbal ropes and basically anchored me in place. I wasn't going to fall ever again if he had anything to say about it.

Would you believe I didn't know how much I needed that? How badly I wanted it? To know I could just close my eyes and wait, and when I opened them again, he'd be there?

He'd always be there.

_I will hold you to it._

I breathed out, sagging until our foreheads met. I cupped his face because I couldn't let go. He held me for the same reason, probably. I don't know how long we stayed like that, desperately holding on without saying anything. We should have been getting naked. That's what happened with my other boyfriends. The minute somebody said "I love you" it was all passionate kissing and bare skin.

Not with Klaus. He and I just...existed.

One by one his muscles relaxed beneath me. I didn't want to cry and ruin the moment, but I was so overwhelmed with _relief_ I couldn't stop my eyes from watering. Something I didn't know was missing had slid into place in the last few minutes. Like I picked up my own pieces—my quirks, my fears, my strengths—dusted them off, and put them all back together again. I didn't even know anything was wrong until, well, everything was right.

Klaus heard the watery sniff I couldn't quite stifle. His hand tightened on the back of my neck in question.

I smiled weakly against his cheek. I wanted him to know I was happy, so I stroked his jaw a little, trying to memorize the way his beard rasped. Klaus would look great clean shaven, but there was something about that ever present stubble that made him look rakish.

Probably the only word Jane Austen ever used that could be applied to him.

A small laugh bubbled up. It was tiny, really, and I let it out, but I didn't move away. A minute ticked by. Two. "Shouldn't we be tearing each others' clothes off by now?" I asked. I couldn't figure out why we weren't even kissing.

Klaus' free hand danced over my hip. "Are you in a hurry?"

"Well, you _have_ been trying to get into my pants for a while now," I pointed out, easing back so I could see him clearly. "And I just thought, hey, I'm straddling your lap, I've said the three little words..." I tilted my head, shrugging a little. "Just seems to me like you'd race through the green light I'm giving you."

Like a bat out of Hell in a Porsche on the Autobahn, actually.

The smile the curled Klaus' mouth was lethal. "I'm afraid you've underestimated me yet again, Caroline." He leaned back against the pillows and headboard, all lazy grace and knowing gaze.

Huh? "Aren't you the guy that was talking about Prussian forests and golden dreams?"

He tilted his head. He seemed totally absorbed in watching the finger he trailed up my side. "Yes."

I cleared my throat and shifted a little, hyperaware of everything he was doing. For a vampire, that was saying something. "And what about the collar?" I asked. "You seemed pretty into that idea."

He hummed. Now the tips of all his fingers were getting into the game, lingering over the line of my bra through my shirt. He followed it in, letting them brush under my breast on his way to my sternum.

That tiny touch shot through my system like a bolt. I felt it all the way down to my pussy, which was currently pressed against his abdomen. Sure, there were two or three layers of clothes between us, but at that moment it was like we were wearing absolutely nothing at all.

My eyes rounded and my breath caught. Whoa. Now _that_ had never happened to me before. My heartbeat quickened. I saw him register the change, the flicker of lust in his eyes growing. He sat with his fingertips pressed between my breasts like he was content to measure every pulse.

My hands had fallen away from his face, resting lightly on his chest. I was afraid to move, afraid to break the connection. Was it warmer in the room or was that my very vivid imagination?

"You seem to be laboring under the impression that I intend to leap on you like a callow boy."

Well...yeah. Except I wasn't thinking about it quite that way until he pointed it out. "We did dry hump yesterday," I retorted. Granted, my voice trembled slightly, but I made my point. "I'd say that falls under the leaping category."

He shook his head, his smile turning smug. "Oh, Caroline. Clearly you've never experienced true seduction."

I felt heat spread over my chest and climb my throat. "Then what was it?"

"Not even a fraction of what is in store for you." With that he hefted himself up, his face so close to my breast I felt his breath breeze across it. Eyes heated, he held my gaze, leaned forward, and placed a very deliberate kiss over my heart.

I sucked in a shaky breath. I was frozen, a deer in the headlights coming face to face with something I'd never come across before.

Experience beyond my wildest imagination.

That realization hit me like a ton of bricks. Why the hell hadn't this ever occurred to me before? Klaus was a billion years old. Of course he'd had lovers. Lots of lovers. Lots of things he'd tried out. Lots of things I'd probably never heard of.

In the space of two seconds I calculated the odds of me knowing something Klaus didn't and came up with a big fat zero. Compared to him, I was almost a freakin' virgin.

My insecurity reared its ugly head. I thought I was over it, but seriously, how was I going to get through this without looking totally inept?

On the inside I flailed, scrambling around for something, anything to draw from. Porn I'd watched. Dirty books I'd read. Inspiration of any type that would calm some of the panic.

My fingers tightened on his chest.

He glanced down, lashes forming half moons on his cheeks, before he met my eyes again. _So that's what a smolder looks like._

"Feeling a bit nervous, my love?"

He didn't have to look so cocky about it. I swallowed. "Nope. Not at all. I'm just sitting in the lap of my boyfriend, thinking about his sex number. I'm fine with it. Really."

His smile just got bigger and bigger with every word. He watched me like a predator, and why shouldn't he? Every word that spilled out of my mouth was another weakness for him to take advantage of. If Klaus loved anything more than he loved me, it was having the upper hand.

And boy, he had a straight royal flush in this case.

I clamped my mouth shut, cheeks hot.

The fingers that had been loitering around my chest slid up my left breast and over my shoulder. They found my spine and started to drift down like a lazy trickle. I shivered, an unsteady breath easing out between my lips.

"Allow me to make something clear to you, love. I'm not like anyone you've ever known." He quirked a brow imperiously. "One might assume that would be clear by now, but let's not dwell on that, hmm? Simply internalize the fact that I am a different caliber of man altogether."

His voice was husky, his breath still sweet from the ice cream we ate a decade ago. It mixed with the coppery tang of blood. I wondered if that's how I'd remember our first time: sex, ice cream, and blood.

He leaned closer, nuzzling my jaw with his nose. "Do you really think that anyone you've had before me can possibly compare? I have seen _decadent..."_

He kissed where he'd nuzzled, lingering there. He spoke into my skin. _"...erotic..."_

Another kiss. "... _gloriously filthy_ things too few can even imagine, much less experience."

I felt hot and cold at the same time, and I wasn't even sure why. This was not making me feel better. Not at all. But now my poor brain was trying to put pictures to what he'd described and I was suddenly having trouble swallowing. Or breathing. Or thinking, for that matter.

I was just all ears and whatever bit of skin he decided to touch. I don't think I even blinked.

His fingers trailed up and down my back, little patterns being drawn there I couldn't focus on. His voice was hypnotizing me. His muscles bunched and moved under my hands with every word. His hand encircled my throat and he stared at it intently. "I have seen sex in all its forms, Caroline. The human appetite for hedonism and sensuality is quite astonishing. Ritualistic encounters performed before an audience of men and gods. Unabashed appreciation of the nude form. Those who preferred the company of one gender yet utterly unable to resist the lure of another. I have seen passionate couplings in the woods, meant to be hidden from eyes like mine. I have seen base fucking, nothing more than physical relief. I have seen orgies, the sweaty, lurid confederacy of like minds and starving sexuality. I have seen one person master another with nothing more than a kiss. People who find their pleasure in the giving and receiving of pain. I have seen revenge, hate, pity, passion, obsession, lust, and love. All of those things and so much more, and every shred of what I have learned will be at your disposal."

His eye met mine.

Holy. Shit.

"Holy shit," someone bit out, breaking through my trance. What? Who?

Suddenly there was the sound of scrambling, and then loud music started to play downstairs.

My eyes went round. OH MY GOD, the hybrids.

The hybrids heard _everything_.

I bolted upright, ready to—well, I don't know what I was ready to do, but it was going to be quick and immediate.

And then I was on my back, staring up at Klaus' smug face. "Ah ah ah," he rumbled. "Did I mention the people that love to be observed?"

I gaped. I was going to die of embarrassment—me, a vampire—and he was all cat and mouse with me?

He laughed.

…...

Oh, the delight I would take in this. In the deepest core of her, Caroline would never be able to imagine my satisfaction.

Her love was fleeting. It was born of adrenaline and that quality of character that was uniquely Caroline Forbes. No matter. I would nurture this nugget. I would feed, water, and encourage it to grow. The origin of its genesis would soon be rendered unimportant. Who was I if not the man that could make that happen?

I was Klaus Mikealson.

Caroline Forbes was my lady.

_Mine._

I propped my weight on my hands and looked down at her glory. Her red cheeks. Her wide eyes. The curve of her chin and the arch of her neck.

I ran the tip of my tongue over my lips. She looked delicious.

"You can't be serious," she half-whispered.

I smiled wickedly. "I may have my lighter moments, my love, but rest assured that I am always in earnest with you." I nudged her with my erection to show her just how true that was.

A small gasp left her mouth before she could capture. Her hands gripped my shirt hard enough to tear a little hole in it. The rip was loud in the wake of our mingled breathing. "Klaus, I'm not having sex with you while there are people who can hear."

"You don't sound terribly convinced," I pointed out, already rocking against her again. "In fact, if my sense of smell is accurate..." I inhaled, long and loud. "You quite like the idea."

She had nothing to say. I had the rare pleasure of bearing witness to a speechless Caroline Forbes.

But silence was not what I was after. No, I was more interested in her screams.

I swept in and kissed her deeply, taking over her mouth as I was wont to do, staking my claim in a matter of seconds. "This is the first time I will ever have you," I said against her lips, brushing her jaw with my finger. "I plan to enjoy _every second_ of it, whether anyone can hear us or not."

"That doesn't sound like you," she told me between kisses. She speared her fingers through my hair and tugged, eliciting a growl of pleasure. She matched me arch for arch, seeking the friction that only I could give her. "You're so private."

I wanted them all to know. I wanted my scent on her. I wanted my name on her lips. I wanted it to be known that I had put my mark on this young vampire, and nothing on Earth would survive if she died.

The last thousand years would be simply a pregame warmup compared to the terror I would reign if she was attacked again.

Let all know. Let them listen to her whimper for me, begging for my cock. They would know not only was she my lady, but they would never compare to me.

I rejoiced in that. I craved it.

But I said none of that. I simply kissed her, hard, rapid, soft, lingering, letting the natural chemistry between us react to the heat and movement of our bodies.

I levered myself to my knees, tearing my mouth from hers. I reached for the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head. It went sailing into the confines of the room.

She stared at me, drinking in every inch with her swollen lips parted. I could already see what the rasp of my stubbled had done to her cheek. One more mark on her skin that belonged to me. If I could have, I would have bitten her everywhere. On her breast. Her thigh. In all the places that mattered. "Take off your shirt and come here," I commanded roughly.

Her cheeks pinking, she seemed to want to ignore out supposed audience, though I doubted she'd forgotten them. She sat up, her legs spread wide around me, and slowly removed the tshirt as requested. It lay on the bed, crumpled in her hand.

It was an awkward position between us, but that could soon be rectified. "The bra," I added.

She hesitated. Something about my tone of authority must have unsettled something. Oh, her sensibilities would be shaken completely from their foundation by the time I was through.

"Now, Caroline. Show me what I want."

Her chin lifted. Fire blazed in her eyes. Yes. That was what I wanted.

She reached behind and unclasped the bra. When the soft fullness of her breasts and the tips of her budding nipples were revealed to me, she tossed her hair artlessly over her shoulder and eyed me with challenge.

I hummed. "Now kneel and bring them up to my mouth."

That shocked her. Of course it did. I doubted either Matt, Lockwood, or any other lover had told Caroline exactly what they wanted from her. I found it hard to believe they even knew what they wanted in the first place.

I knew. Even better, I had no compunction about sharing.

Soon she was on her knees, cupping her breasts with only a small hint of nervousness. She lifted them up for my inspection. The difference in our heights had never been more useful than at this moment. I palmed her left breast and swooped in, encapsulating the nipple in a rough, consuming kiss.

I sucked.

She gasped, hips jerking while her head fell back.

I sucked again, and again. I laved and loved and tongued. I squeezed and massaged her flesh as I did so. This was all mine. Only when I knew my marks would show up did I move to the second tit and repeated my process. By the time I was finished Caroline was biting her lip to keep the sounds at a minimum.

Oh, but that would not do.

I lifted my head. Unfortunately she took this to mean it was her turn. She attacked me with fervor, her breasts pressed to my bare chest while she mouthed my neck. I could feel the heat of her skin and the cool of my saliva on it. _Mmm_. What a difference.

Nimble fingers tried to undo the fly of my jeans.

I chuckled and captured them. "At one point," I asked her huskily, "did I give you permission to play?"

"Permission?" she repeated. "I don't need no stinkin' permission."

I laughed at her badly placed joke. "Allow me to show you how very, very wrong you are."

I grasped the waist of her jeans and jerked. And this time, that bloody button was no match for my determination.

She grabbed my shoulders for balance. A good idea, but short lived, for I had picked her up and flipped her about before she could blink. She was forced to latch onto the headboard instead.

I yanked the denim until it split in two. The panties were as paper to me. Thus almost every glorious inch from the knee up was revealed to me. My artist's eye committed the image to memory. Every curve. Every dip. Caroline, kneeling, holding a headboard, a siren.

I was there to answer the call, filling the negative space between her thighs. Her luscious arse cupped my cock through my jeans, which I made quick work of with one hand. One tug of my underwear and my hardened length sprang free, seeking Caroline's pussy with single-minded intensity.

I wrapped one arm around her shoulders, mimicking a sort of headlock. The other draped over her waist, my hand searching for and finding a set of delicate curls that hid a very interesting treasure. I pressed my lips to her ear. "Do not let go of the headboard, Caroline, no matter what I do to you."

"I want to touch you," she panted.

"Not this time." I smiled. "Obey me, my love. Trust me; you'll like it."

The wood of the headboard groaned. "Is this some kinky rough sex hybrid thing?"

This, this was entirely me.

I flicked my fingers over her clit.

She jumped. I dipped low, spreading her labia. Wet. So wet already. I nudged my groin into her ass, unable to quite catch my breath and we'd only just begun.

I was not gentle. I set to work with my fingers as though we had done this a thousand times, plunging a finger and then two into her sweet pussy before withdrawing and sweeping over her clit. I tortured her in the most elemental way possible, and she more than returned the favor. She bucked. She twisted. She gasped and moaned and whimpered in such lovely, lewd ways that I was compelled to give her no mercy.

Sweat began to bead on her temple. I could smell it. She squeezed her thighs like a fucking vise around my cock, demanding all sort of filthy things.

As for me, I fucked her with a fervor I rarely displaced, loving all the sounds of my skin slapping hers. It grew wet. It grew wicked. She got closer and closer to the edge.

"Please," she said. "Please please please, damn you!"

That last bit was not quiet at all. There were people listening. She'd forgotten they existed. That is what I did to her. My hand was rubbing against her clit so relentlessly that the sound of our bodies rasping together filled the air.

"Come, Caroline," I ordered sternly. "Come now."

I pinched her nipple the same moment I pressed the bundle of nerves just below her clit.

She screamed.

And gushed, coating my cock so thoroughly that I nearly came then and there.

I held her through the waves. I pushed her further and further, holding on to her nipple and the clit.

"Oh stop!" she begged, jerking in my arms. "Stop! I can't—oh god, KLAUS!"

She came again.

This time I didn't wait. I took my shaft in hand and I shoved it into her roughly. We banged against the headboard together.

That's when I took her. I powered through the amazing quivering of her muscles, fucking her as hard and as rough as I was able at this angle. I pumped with all my might. I held her so tight I had no doubt bruises would appear, and Caroline loved it. She tossed her head, her hair a mane of remarkable color, wild with sensation.

One of her hands slipped from the headboard. I bore her to the mattress, gripping her hips. I boxed her legs with my knees and continued to pound my lady into the bed. She was senseless by then, unable to say anything but my name.

The sweetest, greatest victory I had ever accomplished.

I dragged my claws lightly over her back, leaving thin scratches in my wake. "Caroline," I grunted, hunching over. "My Caroline."

"Klaus."

That weak and helpless utterance sent me over the edge.

I came with a force that made my eyesight dim, my balls emptying in soul-draining spurts. I came where I belonged, deep in my lady's pussy, shuddering all the while.

When it was done, I was left gasping, my forehead resting on the slick skin of Caroline's back. "Jesu," I panted.

Never. Never has it been like that.

That rot about love and sex had turned out to be true.

Caroline was boneless on the bed, but one of her hands crept through the blankets and grasped the one I still had on her hip. She did not look back. She only tangled our fingers together.

Keeping that connection, I pulled out of her. I leaned back just enough to watch a lewd glob of semen drip from her folds.

Yes.

I kissed the small of her back. Mine.

I ended to wear Caroline down to the bone, but after an orgasm like that, it was all I could do to settle down next to her on the mattress. We were lengthwise by this point, totally arsed about from our original position. I didn't care that my feet were hanging off of the edge, however; I cared only for gathering Caroline into my arms. She came willingly, as limp as a ragdoll.

Somehow she found the strength to turn her head and smile at me.

I smiled back.

She kissed me softly. "I love you, Klaus."

I smoothed her damp hair from her forehead. I did not return the sentiment, but I let her see.

I let her know.

She placed her cheek on my shoulder and sighed in contentment.

Below us, the music played on.


	20. Chapter 20

After sex like that, you'd have expected Klaus to just get up and go to the shower. Leave me on the bed like a puddle of pudding.

Which was how I felt.

Come on—that was intense. Definitely the most intense sex I'd ever had. Towards the end I started to lose track of myself. Like...I didn't know where I ended and he began. We were just...together. Us. It was the kind of sex that both thrilled and terrified you all at once.

It was exactly what I needed.

I needed to be pushed. I needed to be picked up and carried off. I needed my limits stretched and my being erased of rational thought, because I was so freakin' tired of thinking and being in control and not trusting someone else to catch me and just holding myself so tight I couldn't ever really let go-

I pulled in a breath, feeling suffocated just remembering all those times I was trapped in my own mind. Most of the time it was because I was Caroline Forbes and that's what I did. In the last two years, however? It was because I couldn't rely on anyone but myself to be strong.

Not with Klaus. No. Not with him.

To be honest, I think Klaus needed someone he could be strong for. Someone other than himself.

When we were done, he didn't get up and leave. He gathered me into his arms, turning my body until we spooned. Then he locked me in so tight I couldn't have gotten away if I'd wanted to. He buried his face in my neck, his ragged breathing stirring my hair. He held me so close I could feel his heart beating in his chest like horse hooves on the ground. Each hot puff of air breezed over my warmed skin in ways I didn't have words for.

He didn't say anything. He only held me like I was his link to life and he had no intention of giving it up.

That was better than candlelight, roses, and a trip to Paris put together.

Nobody has ever wanted me like this. Nobody has ever loved me this much. It could be this wild, scary, intimidating thing. If I thought enough about it, I'd start to feel like it was too much responsibility for me. Klaus' sort of love wasn't easily managed. A lot of people wouldn't even call it healthy. It was big and consuming and epically beyond anything I've ever experienced.

Klaus never once doubted me though. He always encouraged me to reach for more. Travel. Go to college if I wanted. Be more than Mystic Falls could corral.

What was it he said on the balcony about threats and confessions of love? Something like...I was strong enough to handle both.

He was right. That's why he needed me.

He was also the person I could be weak with. That's why I needed him.

Minutes ticked by. He threaded a leg between mine, his thigh pressing up against my pleasantly warm pussy. His hand cupped my breast lightly, which was already starting to show a few marks. It wouldn't be long before those faded.

No. Wait. Some of those marks were blood.

We had sex while we had werewolf blood on us.

While people could hear.

I closed my eyes and shook my head at myself. "Like some kind of pagan sacrifice thing," I sighed.

I felt Klaus lift his head. "Come again, love?"

I turned in his arms so that he could see. "You. Me. Blood. Sex. My first foray into uber kinky sex."

His eyes lit with mischief. "First foray?"

I shot him a Look. "Want me to move back while you beat your chest about it?"

"I'd rather concern myself with your—"

My scoff cut him off. "Why are all your pick up lines so terrible?"

His brow shot up. "I suppose it might be because women rarely make me work very hard, my love."

There was that confidence again. I couldn't help but smile at it. He was probably the only person I knew that actually had a reason to be that into himself.

Our eyes caught and held. A lot passed between us. A lot we didn't have to say. I always knew Klaus wouldn't be the kind of guy that would say he loved me all the time. Five seconds ago he proved he didn't even say it through sex. I just never realized I'd be okay with that.

But I was. More than okay, because sex and love were not the same thing. My past relationships gave me a glimpse of that. Klaus took that line drawn in the sand and built a wall six feet high. It's not as if I was surprised. All those references to dungeons and collars and rough sex? He more than warned me.

In fact, sex with Klaus was as gloriously filthy as he said it would be. I really should have been dying of embarrassment.

I wasn't.

Well. Not too much.

"You're thinking very hard." He ran his finger over my chin.

"Would you believe I don't know how I feel about what just happened?"

He paused. Considered me. Grinned with pure wickedness. "Yes, you do."

Point to Klaus. "Okay, yes I do. That was..." I shook my head, totally at a loss.

That Chesire-cat grin got wider.

"I don't know how I feel about how I feel about what happened."

"You pleased me," he rumbled. "Enormously."

A special little fire sparked and caught inside me, warming up my insides. I wanted to preen under the compliment despite not having too much to do with it. I mean, all I did was take it. And oh, did I take it.

The slight color tinging my cheeks deepened, but I smiled back at him. "You got lucky, you know."

"With you? I concur."

"For all you knew, I could have totally not been into the idea of having people listening in."

"Do give me some credit, Caroline. I know you."

"And that means...?"

"I have been the recipient of your fury and indignation before. I recognize the difference between a true moral protest and a weak attempt at being proper." His full lips quirked. "You do have a habit of trying to do the so-called right thing. Even when you know it 'tisn't _right_ for _you."_

My mouth opened. Closed. Part of me wanted to scoff. As in, _yeah right, I protested because I thought I had to? Please._

Except...

Wasn't he right?

I was wet as hell when we came together. If I wasn't into the idea in the first place, would that have been the case?

Probably not.

"I would also like to remind you, darling, that you said 'could have not been into the idea'. That's the conditional, phrased to refer to an unrealized state in the past with no bearing on the present."

I blinked. "Do what?"

"You liked the idea. More than you realized."

I tilted my head. "Are you trying to get out of the fact that you took a wild guess and got lucky?"

He leaned down and pressed lazy kisses on my collarbone. "Two things, Caroline, and we will speak of this no more. The first: Luck favors the bold. The second: I pride myself on adapting to any circumstances. Had you not been _into_ the idea, I had an infinite number of backup plans to fall on."

He said the last bit like it was well and truly final—which it totally wasn't—but then he looked up at me through his lashes. He tried to make it look casual, but believe me, it was anything but. "Are you ashamed?"

Oh, now it occurred to him? I tried to work up the energy to be upset. The truth was, I just wasn't. Upset, I mean. I was languid. I was well-sexed. I was currently being loved on by a guy with way too much arrogance and a teeny-tiny conscience that was rearing its equally teeny-tiny head. So I exhaled and shook my head, stroking the side of his face as I did so. "No. Just...processing."

He relaxed.

Funny. I didn't even know he'd tensed.

He rubbed his face on my chest like a giant cat, settling on me until he was cradled by my thighs. When did he get on top of me?

"You and I," he said suddenly, "love control. We are two beings who find it very difficult to let go. Even more difficult to trust. Yet you did as I asked. You put your faith in me." The sound of his skin smoothing over mine rasped through the quiet. "When I took control, it was because you allowed me to do so. I told you when we began that you had power. You do. You did. You simply handed me the reins for a while."

Aw. Was he trying to soothe me? I melted a little inside. "I'm fine, Klaus. Really."

"You will tell me when you don't like something." It sounded like a demand.

I wanted to laugh. "Like that worked before." He almost lifted his head, but I stopped him. "I know what you meant. I was kidding. If I don't like something, I'll tell you. Loud. And you'll stop."

He didn't answer me with words. He just rubbed his head on my sternum.

That, from Klaus, was a concession.

"Well look at that," I marveled. "We came to a compromise and we didn't even have to fight it out. I'm shocked. Really."

"I'm not," he replied with no small hint of smugness. "I have always had faith in your remarkable ability to steer a sinking ship to shore."

There was a lot of weird imagery in that statement. Either he was comparing our relationship to a doomed schooner off of a coast somewhere, or he'd just called me a lighthouse. Which I guess was a good thing. The lighthouse. Not the ship.

Oh my god, I think the sex scrambled my brain permanently.

Still, I did have a question..."Hey, does this mean I get to be in control next time?"

Klaus chuckled. "Have I given you the impression that this works both ways?"

"Doesn't it?"

"Not usually."

"We aren't usual."

"Perhaps one day," he demurred. He sounded too sated to even put effort into a full sentence.

"You left a mess." I was starting to feel sticky between my legs.

I felt his lips draw back in a satisfied smile. " _I know_."

Oh, that was humble of him. Jeez.

"I should shower." I made no move to go.

"A few minutes longer," he entreated me softly. He even took a some of my hair and wound lazily around his finger. "I like it."

"Some people would call you a pervert."

"Many people call me a great number of things, most of them stunningly accurate."

And none of it even came close to really describing him.

"I don't care how it happened," I decided right then and there. "I'm just glad that it did. I'm not sorry I left. I wish we could have started out differently, but in the end, what I feel right now is the most peaceful I've felt in a very long time."

He paused in the middle of twirling my hair, like he had to absorb what I'd said. Then he suddenly planted his hands on either side of me and hefted himself up. The look he gave me—wow, it was _scorching_. "Kiss me," he commanded.

…...

She did, fanning the flame no other could spark in me. Her taste was indescribable. I would always be able to close my eyes and lick my lips in sweet reminder. Sense-memory was a marvelous thing indeed.

Caroline drew back, looking up at me with liquid eyes. "Face of an angel," she murmured. "You even come complete with dimples."

" _I'm ugly inside,"_ I had whispered to her last night. It was true. There was a vast, endless gulf within me that would never be filled. I could say, however, that it was not a cold place. Not anymore.

Ah, but this pillow talk was making me far too introspective. I closed my eyes and cleared my mind of everything but the moment at hand.

She made a sound, a bare hint of an exhale that was not in her usual catalog of noises. I opened my eyes, frowning slightly, to find her staring at my temple. Her thumb brushed over the spot. "Blood."

Which reminded me of the day. How wildly different it began.

Caroline licked her thumb and rubbed at the spot I assume had dried, clearing my skin of the trace. I could smell it as her hand withdrew; that coppery scent mingled with traces of fear and sex. She stared at it, her expression inscrutable. Was she wondering who had attacked? How fast and brutal the encounter had been?

She was no stranger to violence. She was, however, caught in something neither of us had the answers to just yet.

My jaw clenched, the afterglow of sex fading from my system in the wake of the reminder. Caroline was the target. I had no doubt of that. The ex boyfriend theory was beautifully simple. The reality, however, seemed to be even more conventional.

The package corresponded with our reaffirmed relationship.

I removed her from danger. The attacks escalated exponentially. This time it included my hybrids, my car, and myself.

I was not the direct target, but the consequences were aimed at me.

Whoever my mystery sender was, she had contact with werewolves. Tyler Lockwood happened to show up in a new city immediately proceeding my own arrival.

There were too many dots not to make a connection.

Inquiries would have to be made, but I credited myself with considerable mental capability. One does not plan widespread manipulation via lazy brain work. By this time tomorrow I would possess all the information I needed.

And then I would retaliate.

…...

We didn't have sex again. I wanted to, believe me, but I wasn't kidding about needing a shower. We took it together. That was fun. Sex may not have equated love in our case, but everything about Klaus told me that he was happy. He talked to me about nothing in particular. He smiled. His eyes skimmed me occasionally, warm and soft while the blood washed off of us and swirled down the drain.

I would have jumped him again, I think, if I thought I could have handled it. He was the one that headed that off at the pass, injecting a little cold hard reality into my cozy cocoon. "I have work, my love," he reminded me, a steely thread in his voice even while he trailed kisses up my cheek to my ear. "There is a wretched little pissant that dared to threaten my lady today, and I do believe justice is required."

I paused, skin chilling despite the hot water. "You're going to keep me in the loop, right?"

I could tell he wanted to avoid lying to me, but I'd left him no wriggle room. "When I have information, I will share it with you," he relented after I pressed the issue.

My hand slid up his shoulder to his neck. "You'd better. I owe whoever it is a few jabs at the teeth." And I meant it. I was terrified today. Sure, it led me to realize something monumental, but that didn't mean I was going to forget the minutes leading up to it.

We got dressed, each of us lost in our own thoughts. I was glad I was with him though. I think he felt the same way. We stood for a few minutes together, his arm around my waist, Klaus staring at nothing in particular over my head. Then he seemed to snap out of it, and just like that the Klaus I knew was back. The go-getter. The man who rarely took prisoners.

He was a startling sight.

Except he was my man now, and that made me more than a little proud.

We went downstairs together. I thought I'd go up in flames when we caught sight of the first hybrid. I waited for the blush—except he blushed first, and he totally had no idea where to look. Call me crazy, but that made me feel amazing.

I couldn't help it. I smiled.

Klaus' lips twitched in amusement. "Keep yourself out of trouble, darling," he said after delivering his instructions. "I plan to return in a few short hours."

Considering evening had turned into night by this point, that could mean the early morning.

It occurred to me then that he was essentially leaving me by myself. That struck me as more than a little weird. Sure, the hybrids were loyal, but some of that was because they couldn't help themselves. It wasn't like Klaus was this shining example of leadership. He also wouldn't trust me to be safe with twenty armed guards and an attack dog. Why put me into the care of hybrids he could probably kill without a single speck of remorse?

He must have caught the gist of my thoughts, because he pulled me aside. "Artie is in charge," he said in a voice so low I doubt humans could have heard it.

"I like him," I slowly replied.

Klaus looked me in the eye. "So do I."

It was low and fraught with a lot more meaning than someone other than me might not have heard. He wasn't saying he liked him. He was saying that he trusted Artie. Well, as much as Klaus could trust someone.

Wait. Actually, this was monumental. Like, huge. What the hell had Artie done to earn that kind of regard from Klaus Mikealson, the world's most paranoid man?

This I had to hear.

I walked Klaus all the way to the door. It was very domestic. I stood there, he pulled me in, and we kissed goodbye. It was short but soft—not sweet. He made sure to swipe his tongue over my bottom hip, the horndog, and when he drew back the fire in his eye could have burned a whole in my skin. He didn't linger much longer. He didn't do that 'hold my hand until the last second' thing. Nope. He let it go right then and there.

He took a step back. Stopped. Gave me a thorough once over before locking eyes with me again.

And smiled.

Yeah. That was better than any 80s movie cheese.

I smiled back.

"Be back soon," he murmured to me. He turned on his heel and strode across the terrace and down to the SUV. A new one, I noted. It killed some of my warm fuzzies. We had a hell of a day today.

I leaned my shoulder on the doorjamb, hands clasped in front of me. I watched everyone drive away before I stirred. Maybe a few minutes longer than I realized. One of the hybrids—jeez, I needed to learn their names—called me back.

"Where's Artie?"

"He's in the kitchen."

Where there was Artie, there was Colby. I perked up at that. Hey. I'd just had sex. With Klaus. Colby was always telling me about his wild and dirty weekends...even when I was begging him to get out of my room. But now, this time, it was _me_ that had the wild and dirty nasty to talk about!

Oh, he was going to get a freakin' ear full.

I almost skipped my way down the hall. It was kind of pathetic, really, but I didn't care. I was just so happy. I hadn't forgotten about the boatload of ugly that happened today. I definitely wasn't going to ignore it. For once, though, I felt my age. I felt twenty. I felt all the things girls my age sometimes took for granted. I was never going to be twenty again, and I certainly wasn't going to have a second first time with Klaus. I needed to tell someone. I needed to tell Colby.

Except when I got to the kitchen, Colby wasn't there. I stopped at the threshold, looking around. Oh. It was just Artie at the counter.

"Well, if it isn't the princess of the tower. Finally let you out of bed, huh?"

Hardy har. He just loved those princess jokes, didn't he? Going for casual, I braced a hand on the doorjamb and leaned in. "At least I didn't show my junk to the world when it happened." God, I sounded like a vamp.

The other kind of vamp.

The sexy, _I totally just did it and you heard the whole thing_ vamp.

Artie lifted a brow. It was a good thing he had serious bone structure. Somebody with less imperious cheekbones wouldn't have been able to pull it off. "Nah, you just let it be known you were a screamer."

I opened my mouth to snap out a denial, but paused. Because, well, I kind of was. At least with Klaus.

So I settled for sniffing the air disdainfully. I think I pulled it off too. "Where's Colby?"

Artie's flipping of take out brochures stuttered just a tiny bit before he shrugged a big shoulder. "How should I know?"

Oh, like that _wasn't_ going to put me on the scent like a bloodhound. This guy had no idea who he was messing with. I'd have called it a Friendervention, except he wasn't a friend. Colby was. Guess that made this a My Friend's Almost Boyfriendervention.

I nodded and crossed my arms. "I see. Just thought you might have gotten a text or something from him. He does have Chem Lab today." Which I belatedly remembered.

"Bio Lab."

Artie grimaced, immediately realizing the trap.

Gotcha.

I didn't bother to hide my smirk. Please. That was for amateurs. I let it out loud and proud while I strolled over to the counter, bracing a hip on the edge. "So. Do you want to come clean? Or should I keep proving that you're more into him than you want to let on?"

"Don't you have soap operas to watch?"

I scoffed. "Don't you have a gay club to get into leather for? Let's leave the stereotypes at the door. Come on. It's obvious. I'm just wondering how we went from the 'hey handsome' comments to the 'how should I know?' shrug." I held up a finger before he could answer. "Actually, I'm not wondering. I just said that for illustration."

Artie's eyes darkened. "None of this is your business, princess."

"Strictly speaking you're right. Except I'm revising my opinion about you. You care about him. A lot faster and a lot more than you thought you would. It's cliché but true."

"I've got patrols to-"

"Walk out that door, and I will follow you. I'm sure we both know how much Klaus would love that." It was a bitch move to pull. Colby was worth it. "All I want you to do is listen to me for a second, okay? Just two minutes. Then you can go on with your day."

I could tell he wanted to protest. Who wouldn't? But he forced himself to shut up, clenching his jaw so tight I thought he might pop a vein.

Seeing him miserable like that made me change my tone. What I had to say wasn't all that profound. I just felt that it needed to be out there. "Look. Colby is a nice guy. He's been hurt in the past just like all the rest of us have. That doesn't mean he's angry or locked himself away from people. You just have to be honest with him. You have to treat him right. We both know you want to believe he'll be there for you when you need him. He probably feels the same way. The only thing the two of you can do is take a leap of faith. And then, when the time is right, prove it to each other."

Artie searched my face, trying to gauge my sincerity. Yeah, he was just as damaged as everyone else I knew. I guess people like us naturally flock together.

All my earlier determination to grill him for details vanished. Whatever his relationship with Klaus was, I suddenly didn't have the heart to pry.

"So," I said after a minute, "how does Thai food sound?"

He didn't move at first. Then it was like he was coming out of a deep part of himself. He picked up a menu, a frown settling between his brows. "Guess all that wild sex works up a girl's appetite."

It didn't have his normal vinegar, but hey, I would take it. "Fido, you have no idea. I'm going to tell Colby all about it. And then you'll get every juicy detail."

He grimaced. "Ugh. Don't."

"It was very satisfying," I tossed out, just to rub it in. _Take that, Mr. Defiler of Roommates._

"Look, princess, if being watched is your thing-"

"Oh, says the guy that was doing it in a public-"

"It was the fucking living room, hardly a public-"

"Common area, Fido. Ergo public." I poked the air with a finger. "Also within earshot."

He opened his mouth.

"And I saw you naked." Very, very much so. I'd never tell Klaus, but that image was engraved in my retinas.

He shut his mouth.

I settled back, satisfied. "I think you'll find this round goes to me." I tapped the menu of the food I wanted. "Order me the number 20." I turned to sail out of the room, but then I caught sight of the clock. It was one of the few things that survived both the Sexathon and Klaus' temper tantrum. I froze.

"What?"

"Is that the real time?"

"According to my watch it's three minutes fast, but yeah."

A watch. Of course Artie would wear one. I slowly turned to him. He saw my face and got serious. "What's wrong?"

"Colby's lab ended an hour and a half ago. He would have been home by now."

Artie stilled. "He didn't tell me when it ended."

Exasperation filled me. "Did you bother to ask, or did you try to hold yourself back and be all cool about it?"

The look on his face was answer enough.

"Was someone supposed to pick him up? Or did we just leave the one and only human among us out in the open like a friggin' trout in a bear trap?"

Artie gripped the countertop. The granite groaned. "I'll send someone to find him."

"No. We are going to get him. Bring anybody you want, but we are personally going to that university. You will all use your wolf noses to pick up his scent."

"We can't put you in danger." Even though it was clear he really, really wanted to.

"You have a choice here, Artie. You send one or two hybrids, there is a chance that Artie is fine and just late. Or he could be in evil clutches and one or two hybrids won't be enough. We'll lose everybody. The second, more viable choice is to go as a group. I'm protected and any possible chance at catching the bad guy—because there is one—will be maximized. Got it? Let's go."

"I'm calling Klaus."

"Fine. Do whatever. Just do it from the car."

I turned on my heel and walked out, heart thudding in fear.

Klaus didn't answer on the first or the second call. That was unusual. It made me worry for the first ten minutes of the drive. We'd all piled into the car and were on our way. Klaus couldn't have been that much further out than us, but maybe he was going in the opposite direction. Maybe cell service was bad where he was. Maybe he had it on silent.

No, that wasn't like Klaus.

When he did call back, it was with a bark that cut across the phone line. "What happened?"

"I wanted you to know we're on our way to the university," Artie said. He was in the front passenger seat. I was squeezed in the backseat between two meat walls known as hybrids. It was not a comfortable feeling. "Colby hasn't been checking in and Caroline was worried."

"Is she with you?" His tone suggested that better be the case.

"Of course. Want to talk to her?"

"Yes."

I took the phone. "Where were you?"

"Turn the SUV around, Caroline. Now."

I pulled Artie's phone away from my ear and glared at the display. I knew he would react like this. I would have expected nothing less. That didn't mean I liked it. I closed my eyes, sent up a quick prayer for patience, then brought the phone back. "Klaus, we're just picking up Colby. The chances of me overreacting are high, I'll admit that, but better safe than sorry."

"Are you deliberately provoking me, love? Remember our conversation on the balcony?"

Again with the balcony. "No, I'm not and no, I haven't. This is a car ride to my roommate's college. It's not throwing myself into a volcano as a sacrifice. What happened to me being a lighthouse and strong and all that stuff?"

Klaus' voice got quiet. "Caroline-"

"Don't," I interjected. I even took myself aback by how hard I sounded. "Do not say that you believe all those things about me but want me to stay at home like a good little woman. You can't have it both ways. Either I'm a queen or I'm not. Which is it, Klaus?"

There was silence. Total silence. Then the sound of a deep breath. "Hand the mobile to Artie."

I did so without another word. Artie took the phone and held it to his ear, but we could all hear exactly what was said. "If she gets one cut, one bruise that could have been avoided, there will be no place any of you can hide. Is that clear?"

_I love that man._

The knowledge bloomed and then exploded in me. If I hadn't realized it earlier, I would have at this moment. He was showing me he believed in me. He thought of me as a queen—

"I will meet you at the university."

-that he couldn't live without.

I guess I couldn't have it both ways either. If Klaus wanted to protect me, he was going to. It was something I'd told him I was okay with. Hell, I liked it. We were partners.

We were waiting at an intersection for the light to turn green. There weren't that many cars out, but I let the driver know that I wasn't going to be breaking any laws. The last thing we needed was for cops to pull us over. That meant I was stuck fidgeting, trying to keep my legs from bouncing too much. _Turn green turn green turn green_ , I urged the traffic signal.

The light flickered. Changed.

Finally.

We pulled forward.

"Okay," Artie was saying, "we'll see you in ten minutes—"

Lights flooded the interior, blinding us.

"Look out!" one of the hybrids shouted.

There was a squeal, a roar, a crunch, and we were violently thrown to the side.

_**To be continued...** _

* * *

1\. This story will last two, three more chapters tops.


	21. Chapter 21

I could not cry out. I could not call her name. I could not move. I could not feel. I was numb, listening to the terrifying radio drama of my deepest fears realized.

There were several short screams and shouts. The unmistakable tableau of metal rending in two. Glass shattering. Tires screeching across pavement. It was a confusing cacophony and yet ever sound filtered into my ear with unforgiving clarity.

Then silence.

Then...the strains of Jim Croce filling the nothingness. A song I knew well. The radio was still on the last channel I had set it.

A wolf's growl grew to a furious crescendo. Artie.

Gun shots.

No sound from Caroline. None.

And then- "Wake up!"

_Caroline_. No prayer in the Old Tongue beseeching Odin for help would have held so much feeling as her name.

Snarls. "Not me, you idiot! Them!"

More than one.

The sound of scrambling. Fighting. What seemed like hours compressed into a mere minute. Or was it eternity?

And she screamed, long and loud.

No.

No no no no no no no NO NO NO-

" _CAROLINE!_ "

My roar came from places I thought long dead, stamped out with Mikeal's death. But no, it was still there, still choking me, still consuming all rhyme and reason—The sound echoed off of the bridge I was under, reverberating my agony.

I was gone but half an hour. Thirty insignificant minutes to attain the file of information from my contact.

There was a crunch and nothing. I looked. I crushed the mobile. I hurled it from me. It exploded against the stone pillar beside me. "Get to the car!" I snarled, my eyes blazing and my fangs bared. "Now!"

We flashed. In seconds we were in the SUV, driving hellbent down the road at breakneck speeds. It was too far to run, though my legs ached with the need to do so. I had to get to her. I had to protect her. I had to make the world bleed as I gutted it.

We barreled past the house in direction of the university. My claws shredded the seat.

We heard the alarm before we saw the flashing lights of a parked car on the side of the street. "Stop!"

We screeched to a halt. I was out of the car before it stopped. There, on the pavement, was a body. For one horrifying moment I thought it was Caroline. But no, it was male. A werewolf.

I kicked over his body. He was missing a heart, the gaping hole in his chest a ragged void. The smell of his blood mingled with another. The car itself was crumbled on the side and the windshield was cracked beyond repair.

My heart squeezed. There was blood smeared along the side of the automobile, a dull glint in the LED streetlight. Eyes wide, lips pressed together lest some sound betrayed me, I stepped closer to look at it. Caroline. It had to be Caroline's blood. A great deal of it.

_**Minutes earlier...** _

I didn't black out. I felt the impact. I heard the squeal of our tires as the car spun and tilted dangerously. Artie's phone flew through the air and hit me square on the cheek. Or maybe it was glass. I didn't know. I only knew that the car didn't tip over; it crashed back onto all four wheels, rocking like crazy. The tinge of blood filled the air. The strains of Klaus' golden oldie seventies station crackled in the aftermath.

_You know I've run so many races_

_I've looked into the empty faces_

_of the people of the night_

_And something is just not right._

_I know that I've got to get out of here..._

What the hell—

Lights lit up the car again.

"Motherfucking hell no," Artie growled.

There was a million miles of movement all at once. Artie kicked open his door; it literally flew ten feet away from the car. Then he raised his hand and pointed it, the lamplight glinting off of the barrel of a gun.

A gun? Who the frig brought a gun to a dogfight?

Artie did.

He fired. Once, twice.

The hybrid next to me yanked open his door too. I looked at the hybrid on the other side. The door was crumpled in over his leg. His head lolled. I slapped his cheek. No response. Jesus. My gaze shot to the front. The driver was out for the count, draped over the steering wheel. I had no idea if he was alive or dead. Could a car kill someone like us?

The other car swerved before it could hit us again, running parallel to us. Artie kept firing, then tossed his gun to the side when it clicked, empty. He and the other hybrid started transforming right then and there. Oh god.

This time I didn't hold back. I hit the hybrid next to me with all I had. "Wake up!"

When he jumped me, fangs bared, I punched him in the chest to keep him away. "Not me, you idiot!" I yelled, pointing a finger outside. "Them!"

Whoever 'them' was.

I didn't get a look, but I think the werewolf (werewolves?) in the car jumped out. It sounded like National Geographic on steroids out there! "Get them," I ordered, already climbing over the seats to get to the driver. "I'll deal with him."

He didn't give me a second look. He just took off, presumably to do what I wanted.

I scrambled into the passenger side seat and tried to take in the scene. There was blood everywhere. I couldn't even see the guy's face through it. And there was glass sticking out of the side of his neck.

I sat there, hands up, trying to think of what to do. Pull out the glass? Shake him? Hell, check his pulse?

That sounded good. So I did.

Faint, but there.

I felt the pain before I heard the pop and the sound of another window shattering—was there one left?—and I screamed in surprise, clutching my side. Holy hell! I'd been shot!

The hybrid jerked. Shit, the bullet passed through me and hit him.

Breathing hard, I looked at the fight.

So many werewolves. Glinting eyes, claws out, they tore at the hybrids like pure animals, the kind of monsters that were the stuff of nightmares. The yellow streetlights cast the whole thing in a hellish glow, the fight too fast and hard for humans to follow, but the sounds filling the air unholy.

It was terrifying.

Artie stumbled back. Someone'd kicked him in the chest. I flashed out of the car before I could think about it. One minute I was sitting and the next I'd grabbed the werewolf by the throat and threw him backward, baring my fangs at him in warning.

It was insanity to be out in the open like this. The entire thing was so friggin' crazy that normality disappeared, leaving this otherworld in its place. There were no humans. There was no intersection. There was no night. There was just them and us, and both sides were determined to win.

The punk grinned at me, fangs out, and came at me again.

This time Artie stepped in front of me at the last second, grabbing the guy by the neck and snapping it before you could say _how do you do_.

The werewolf crumbled to the pavement.

"Run!" Artie yelled at me. "Just go!"

Was he kidding? But he wasn't, and there wasn't time to argue. I wanted to fight. I needed to fight, but that was distracting the hybrids—especially Artie. Running meant taking away the need to protect me.

Running would save a life.

So I ran. I flashed out of there as fast as I could, my cowboy boots thudding dully on the street and the hem of my dress fluttering as I went. My side burned. It was agonizing. Vervain? Who knew?

I don't know how far I ran. I just aimed back toward the house, desperate to get back within that sanctuary. I had no way of knowing if I was safe. I just knew that was the last place I'd seen Klaus. My short jacket was already soaked with blood.

A howl split the night, echoing off of the structures around me.

I was being followed.

I ran faster.

Like my life depended on it.

Street lights sailed overhead like a film on superspeed. There was nothing in front of me but more buildings and parked cars and-

A werewolf girl running straight for me. Holy crap!

I skidded to a stop and darted right, barely dodging her. I grabbed her by the hair at the last second and threw her into a car. She hit the windshield with a crack and the wail of an alarm.

Claws swiped up my back.

I arched and screamed, backhanding my attacker.

He punched me in the stomach. All of the air left me in a whoosh. I fell against the car, and he was there, looming into my face. "Hey there, pretty girl," he purred. "You look tasty."

I didn't hesitate. I plunged my hand into his chest, grabbing his heart. "So do you."

I pulled, his heart in my hand.

The werewolf girl cried out in denial. Part of me would too, much later.

He fell to the ground dead.

I should have moved. I should have darted away, but I didn't.

Pain exploded in my head.

Darkness.

_**Back at the scene...** _

I spun on my heel, prepared to dash off into the night. Humans would be coming soon. The alarm would have alerted someone.

Where was Artie? Where the fucking hell was anyone?

One of the hybrids suddenly pointed. The sound of dashing feet reached me. Then they were there. Two injured hybrids and someone I didn't recognize with Artie.

"Fuck," he swore after taking in the destruction. His curse was easily heard over the grating wail of the alarm. The flashing lights painted them in macabre colors, highlighting his numerous injuries. Somewhere along the line his glasses had been knocked off. Blood stained him. "Fuck!" he said again. He threw his prisoner on the ground and leveled a vicious kick at his stomach, his composure a thing of the past. "Tell me where the hell they took her, you piece of shit!"

I focused on the werewolf on the ground. A prisoner.

I covered the distance before Artie had another chance to draw his leg back. I grabbed the werewolf by the hair and lifted him straight up from the ground.

We locked eyes. Recognition flared in his face. So, he knew who I was. Of course he did. As to what he saw just then, I had no doubt of what it was.

Death.

I cupped his cheek so he could not look away and told him in a steady voice filled with promise, "I...am going to teach you the meaning of pain."

I took him into the hedgerow just over, shoving him into the branches to block the view of what came next. "Do you know," I inquired quietly, my fury contained to the point that my voice barely shook, "how long your intestines are if one lays them out flat? No? Let's find out, shall we?"

In a blink I retracted my hand and run a razor sharp claw up his abdomen, slicing through muscle and flesh as easy as pie.

The bloodcurdling scream that pierced the air was not nearly satisfying enough for me.

I plunged in my hand, rooting around his innards. All the while I kept up our conversation. "It's interesting, the human body. Our essential physiology stays the same despite our supernatural states—"

"You killed my brother, you fucker!"

I paused. "Come again?"

"I said, you killed my brother! Cocksucker!" he spat. Sweat poured from his face. He put off the most delicious scent of fear and pain. He was exquisitely aware of each inch of my hand in him, playing around with his guts in a way I haven't in too long. "When you tried to make him into a hybrid. Your goddamn bitch is going to pay for that. She's going to bleed long and good—AHHH!"

I pulled out my hand and flicked away some of the blood. "Long and _well_ ," I corrected in a seethe. I bared my fangs at him in a mockery of a smile. "Oh dear. Seems I've nicked something vital. You'll be bleeding out shortly, mate, but believe me, it will also be _well_."

Had I time, I would make him suffer. I would make him eat more than a foot of his own digestive system, the bile and muck covering him in an undignified heap. He deserved nothing less. He was a speck, a pestiferous bug that I wanted to crush and grind beneath my boot. I longed to stomp in his skull until bits of it scattered across the ground. But there was no time. No time.

He was already turning ashen, his life draining away. I dropped him like the pathetic trash he was, not pausing to hear him splat on the sidewalk before heading for the car.

Artie was swearing. "I brought him so we could interrogate him—"

I snatched him by the neck and slammed him into the hood of the damaged car. The alarm choked, the died.

He grabbed my wrist but didn't struggle. He was pale. "Klaus—"

I slammed him again.

And again.

Then tossed him at the SUV. "Get in the car."

He had no choice but to obey, limping to the door. Already there were the sounds of humans stirring and police sirens in the distance.

He climbed in the eight-seater. We would talk of his failure later. He knew that. Now he was focused on what was more important. "What about Caroline?"

"I don't need to interrogate anyone,"I told him, yanking open the car door and entering. "I know exactly where she is."

Doors slammed. Tires pealed.

Artie didn't bother to hide his shock as we took off. "How?"

My senses focused too much on needless words, I simply yanked the manilla folder from the side pocket and tossed it at him. Papers burst from the depths as he caught it, fluttering in the air. Pictures, data, evidence. It was all there, courtesy of my contact; a detective that was more than a little in love with the idea of vampires.

Artie picked up a picture and a phone record. "Who the-" His face drained of all color. "This is Colby's number."

I said nothing. My fury sharpened.

"No. Klaus, I swear to you, he wouldn't do this. He's too loyal. He'd never hurt Caroline."

"Call him," I ordered. I could barely force out any more words.

"He's not-"

"CALL. HIM." The interior shook.

Shaking from fear—not for himself—Artie tried to dig out his mobile, but it wasn't there. When he borrowed someone else's, I could see his hands trembling. He used the number on the page to dial.

It rang. Once.

"Hello?" a female voice answered.

"Who the fuck is this?" Artie half snarled. "Where's Colby?"

"Oh, you must be Artie. I'm sure your human boy toy is nice and cozy at the hospital. He picked a fight with the werewolf trying to steal his phone. Good luck explaining that, by the way."

Artie's face morphed. "When I find you, bitch—"

"And tell Klaus he can come and collect Caroline any time he wants. I'll be through with her soon. I'll even leave the phone behind so Colby doesn't have to buy a new one. I won't need it to track her any more after this, after all."

I pulled the phone from Artie's hand. "I know who you are."

There was a pause. "Do you? Do you really?"

"That is the question of the hour, isn't it?" I replied silkily. "I wonder how many decibels I can coax from your voice before you die, sweetheart."

"I'll ask Caroline the same question."

Pure hatred swept through me. It was a rare thing, reserved only for the man who called himself my father. Yet this woman managed to elicit it on a level that was truly impressive. "Tell me," I managed to bite out, "to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Silence. Then, "Fuck you, Klaus."

A beep.

Disconnected.

I carefully removed the mobile from my ear. "Drive," I commanded. "421 Wayward Place."

…..

_God, I am so tired of being the hostage_ , was my first groggy thought when I came to.

Man. You knew it was bad when that was the first thing to cross my mind.

I squinted. My head hurt, and there was a lot of pain coming from a lot of other places too. In fact, when I said a lot of pain, I meant _Holy Mary Mother of God_ kind of pain.

I gritted my teeth to keep from moaning, pulling at the ropes on my wrists. I was tied to a chair.

Not for the first time in my life.

Every part of me asked me to scream.

I wasn't going to, dammit.

I forced myself to look around. It was a perfectly ordinary basement. Exposed pipes and furniture piled up in the corners. Even your standard exposed bulb. It was all very dramatic, complete with dirt floor and a petite redhead in a tanktop and too much gothic jewelry staring at me.

"Who the hell are you?" I bit out.

"Well, aren't we fierce? Guess it must be all those times you've gotten kidnapped in your life." The girl tapped her chin in one of those snotty _I'm thinking but not really_ poses. God, I hated that pose. I already had one person in my life who did that more often than I'd like. I didn't need another. Especially not some psycho chick I was pretty sure was draining rats for kicks.

Ew. Mental picture.

But she was right; I'd gotten kidnapped and tortured way too many times in my twenty years. I was getting just a little bit sick of it. So I glared at her with all my might, lips clamped closed, waiting for her to start the supervillain monologue they ALL seemed to be preprogrammed with. Seriously. It's like they went to school for it.

And dammit, vervain ropes burned like crazy. I'd forgotten that.

Psycho Chick shrugged one shoulder. "Fine. I'm Kate. You don't know me."

I snorted. "Clearly."

"But your boyfriend might."

I frowned. "Klaus?" Okay, seriously, I don't know why I said that. I only had one boyfriend/lover/man in my life, and frankly this kind of thing was almost always about Klaus. I should have been used to it by then.

"Yep." She crouched down in front of my chair, apparently very confident since my legs were tied to the chair too. "The Big Bad himself. How long do you think it'll take him to locate you?"

"I'd estimate twenty minutes, tops," I replied instantly. Not that I knew. The key to facing down the crazies was confidence. Just look at me and Klaus. It didn't get more unstable than him.

Although somebody apparently wanted to give him a run for his money.

"So what are you? Spurned lover? A witch with an epic supernatural plan that will either win the world or destroy it?"

Her lips quirked. The smile didn't reach her eyes. That expression always freaked me out, no matter who was aiming it at me. "Nope. Regular old human."

My frown came back. "Sorry, but did you just say you were human?" A human who knew werewolves and how to restrain a vampire with vervain ropes? That wasn't something I'd run into outside of the Mystic Falls Council...and Ric. "Vampire slayer?"

She shrugged. "You could say that. I had to do some crazy shit to get to this point." She stood, her knees making a popping sound in response. "I'm Kate. I'm here to kill you."

The way she said it...made my blood run cold. "Why?"

"Because Klaus loves you." Kate had green eyes to go with her long red hair, and they were as big as you please when she added, "Becuase I want to rip everything he's ever held dear to shreds. I want him to feel that pain. And I want to see it happen before I kill him."

Wow. She really was unbalanced. "Klaus can't be killed."

"Not yet. But I'll find a way. For now you're a good way to start."

"Oh, I am not going to be anybody else's tool," I told her defiantly. "What the hell is this all about? What was with the rats? What sort of sick-"

Her laugh cut me off. "That's really fucking rich, coming from you!"

"Excuse me?" She did not just insult me like that.

"I said, that's fucking rich. You're the epitome of sick. Just look at who you've hooked up with. Honey, they don't get much more twisted than Klaus Mikaelson. Not only is he dating a girl way too young for him, he's a serial killer." She leaned down, her red hair hanging from her shoulder. "Do you have any idea how many people he's murdered? How he's killed them?" She turned her head like she'd just thought of something. "Oh, yeah, and didn't he murder your boyfriend's mother too?"

I stared at her. "How did you know that?"

"Who do you think was the one that pointed me in Klaus' direction?"

Tyler. Oh god, Tyler, no.

Kate tapped the heavy end of the stake against her thigh. "Don't worry; he has no idea his little former wifey is involved with his mom's murderer. Not yet, anyway. He thinks Klaus is playing with some other random blonde and you're a coincidence." She smirked. "He's not all that bright, is he?"

Tyler was smarter than she gave him credit for, but I couldn't say it. "He's how you got in touch with other werewolves."

"All of them had one thing or another to pick a fight with Klaus for. A lot of them had relatives caught up in Klaus's trail of destruction a couple of years ago. You know, all those failed attempts to make hybrids. I guess karma is a bigger bitch than Klaus counted on."

Okay, enough of the monologuing. "Why?" I asked bluntly. "Why you?"

Something changed in the air then. Something...awful. Kate stared at me for a long minute, her jaw working, her fingers tightening and relaxing on the stake. "He killed my family. My entire family."

Jesus.

I wanted to say he hadn't, but I knew better. "Your whole family?" I repeated faintly.

Her eyes glittered with rage. "Every. Last. One. Know what he called them? Vermin. Ripped out their hearts, tore off their heads, licked the blood off his fingers, and said they were vermin." She looked at me like I was there, slaughtering her family right along side Klaus. "That's the man you love? You picked a real winner, Caroline."

I didn't pick him. Not at first. He picked me and I went with it. I fell in love, but I didn't choose to. I never had.

I swallowed. "I'm sorry." And I was sincere.

She rammed the stake into my thigh.

I screamed, pain exploding everywhere.

"Do you really think I give a damn about your apology?" she yelled in my face. The stake twisted with a brutally sharp turn, causing blood to spray. "Like that's going to bring my family back? Did you fuck him yet, Caroline, knowing what kind of horrific things he's done?"

She backed off as suddenly as she'd attacked, panting and staring at me with unblinking eyes. "You're just as tainted and disgusting as he is," she sneered, "and the only thing you're good for is making him hurt the way he hurts others."

She wiped her face, leaving a streak of blood. "I had a sister. I had a mom and a dad. All we did was ask the wrong guy for restaurant recommendations one night. That's all."

I gritted my teeth. "This...won't bring them back," I managed to say. "This won't accomplish anything."

"Please. Shut up. You're going to die. Trying to convince me otherwise is useless."

"I don't have time for this!" I shouted at her. "If you kill me, he'll come after you. What then?"

"Then I'll take him on. I don't care."

"You should care! Do you think your parents and your sister would want this for you?" I hurt. I hurt in a lot more places than that stupid stake in my thigh. God, Klaus, why? But no, no, couldn't dwell on that. Had to move forward. "I know what he did was wrong."

"Oh, do you? That's so reassuring. But now you're going to tell me he's changed, right? That the power of your love has brought about some magical miracle makeover and he'll never do it again, cross your heart and hope to die." She scoffed. "You're delusional."

I wanted desperately for none of this to be happening, but how many times had I wished the world was better than it was?

Klaus murdered an entire family on a whim.

It was just the kind of thing he'd do. Wipe out a couple of people and then go on his way. Hell, maybe it was back when I was still in Mystic Falls. Maybe he came to see me after and said something sweet. Maybe it was during the two years I was gone. Kate didn't look that old. It could have happened three weeks before he found me again. I really just didn't know. The thought made me sick to my stomach.

And what she'd said about Tyler? Made me even sicker...because I couldn't blame Tyler for wanting Klaus dead. I couldn't blame Kate either. Their loved ones were murdered...by the man I loved. How is a girl supposed to wrap her head around that?

She almost always can't.

"Listen to me," I said, trying to inject as much command as I could into my tone. "We can't waste any more time. Klaus is coming."

"Good. I'm counting on it."

Every beat of my half-dead heart meant a little less blood in my body, meaning I was already starting to feel woozy. I rallied my senses as much as I could and tried to reason with my attacker. "I know this sounds crazy, but Klaus made me a promise. As long as we're together, he won't kill anyone else. That won't bring your family back, but nobody else will die."

"And you believe that? You're dumber than you look."

"I believe it because I know Klaus. He promised."

"Said no one in a healthy relationship ever. Wake up, Caroline. Your boyfriend is one temper tantrum away from murdering whole neighborhoods, and there's nothing you could do to stop it."

"I trust him." I had to. What was the point of everything otherwise?

"That just makes you stupid and a fool. Tell me something. Would you be able to let it go if he killed your mom, or does that kind of thing not bother you as long as it happens to somebody else?"

My god. She really knew how to hit. Tears stung my eyes at the question. Klaus, killing my mother. I was so afraid he'd do it while I was gone. "No," I whispered. "I wouldn't. I couldn't."

"I guess you've got your answer about what's going to happen here, then." She walked over to a table that I hadn't noticed before. She picked up what looked like a serrated scalpel.

My heartbeat sped up and my blood left me faster. "I know you have every reason to do this, but I am begging you, don't. Everybody has the capacity to be better than what they were."

She ignored me.

"I don't care if you hate Klaus for the rest of your life! Go ahead! He deserves it! But think, Kate, about what you're giving up! Go now. Just leave. I won't tell him what happened." And I wouldn't. I had to give her something. Her life was the only thing I could offer.

Because just as everybody had the capacity to be better, they could also be worse. "But if you do this," I added, "and he comes after you, I won't stop him. I wouldn't even try."

I couldn't articulate all the whys and wherefores of this if I spent days at it. All I knew was that if Kate walked away now, the promise was in place and some kind of balance would be restored. If she attacked, Klaus had the right to defend himself, even if it was sort of preempted.

God, what was happening to me? To my logic? Why weren't things simple anymore?

"You'll be dead," Kate told me in a tone that said more than the words. It was like listening to a fanatic patiently explaining all the reasons you deserved to burn in hell.

She'd made her choice.

This? This whole crazy kidnapping revenge thingy? This was _my_ choice. My fork in the road. I mean, how could it not be? This chick had just told me that Klaus had done something just as horrible as he did to Tyler's mom to her family. That I was with someone whose soul was so black that there was no hope of redemption.

Klaus blackmailed into being with him. As Kate walked toward me, scalpel in hand, I realized that what I did next defined something much bigger than that. If I attacked Kate, if I fought back, it wasn't just because I wanted to live. It was because I didn't want anyone to hurt Klaus.

And I didn't. God help me, I didn't. Whatever that made me, Klaus was the man I was in love with, and I couldn't stand the thought of him lost and alone.

All of this ran through my mind without real definition. She came. I moved. And fate just had to follow along.

With a strength of will I once never needed, I yanked against the rope on my ankle and raised my injured thigh. My wrist was still strapped to the armchair but I managed to grab the stake still stuck in me.

I pulled.

Blood flowed.

I flicked my wrist, using my vampiric ability to escalate the force. The stake caught her in the hip. She screamed.

I didn't watch her fall. I pushed with my feet so hard the chair fell back. I almost cracked my head on the floor but the chair could only take so much; wood splintered. The ropes loosened just enough for me to move one wrist. I yanked. The armrest came off with a snap. I grabbed the other ropes and stifled a shriek when the acidic vervain ate at my skin. Oh my god, it was agony!

I pulled. The rope broke. It was almost like my freakin' fingers snapped off with it. But my wrist was free. I heaved myself up, scrambling for the ropes on my legs.

Kate was on the floor, blood pouring. I could smell it. My fangs shot out and my whole body jerked. I wanted it. I needed it. Fresh blood. Wonderful blood.

She saw me clawing at the ropes and pulled herself up, face twisting. She must have known she'd lose because she started limping for the door, an inhuman sound boiling on her lips. It was the sort of scream an animal gives out when it knows it's going to die.

I was free. I was coming.

I caught her just as she tried to step out of the door. Her delicate neck was in my hands, her struggles nothing against me.

"I'm sorry," I told her.

She started to scream. "NO-!"

I snapped her neck. There was the sound of bone breaking and then...nothing.

Nothing.

_**To be continued...** _

* * *

**1\. One more chapter to go.**

**2\. Jim Croce-New York's Not My Home**

**3\. The beautiful cover image is made by nfinneman on tumblr! Darling, you honor me.**


	22. Chapter 22

I sank to my knees, holding Kate's limp, lifeless body in my arms. I held onto her like I'd hold onto my mother: desperate, a little apologetic, looking for answers that may never surface. My whole world contracted to just her and me and the dirt floor on the one spot I stared at. I was numb.

I was in agony.

"I'm sorry," I whispered again to her, just in case her spirit could still hear me. "I'm sorry."

We both made our choices. Neither was right. Neither was wrong. One of us died and the other...became a killer again.

Tears welled up in my eyes and dripped down my cheeks. That's how Klaus found me, crying on the floor cradling a dead girl. He flashed over, his face a twisted mess of anger and fear. He went to his knees. He probably would have ripped Kate out of my arms and flung her away like a ragdoll, but I resisted. I hung on to her. It was the least I could do, because I knew the moment I let her go I would move forward with the path I'd picked for myself. I'd leave her in this dirt and dust covered basement, with no one in the world left to keep her company.

So for now, I wasn't going to leave her alone. Everybody deserved to have someone there for them in the end.

I was going to be with her. Just for a few minutes longer.

Since I was seventeen years old, I've questioned nearly everything I thought I knew about the world. About what it meant and where we all went when it was done. I learned about the veil and how supernaturals crossed into this niche in the afterlife. Mostly what I got out of that was that an afterlife existed. Funny how a vampire—something that wasn't supposed to exist—could date a werewolf, be an immortal's love interest, and still be worried about what would happen when she died.

I think it was because I couldn't stomach the idea of my mother dying and laying cold in the ground, rotting away. I needed to believe that there was something better waiting for her. Something Wonderful.

A place I wasn't so sure I would go, but that I really hoped Kate would experience. Not because I was that into forgiveness. Because...I wanted it for her.

I didn't know how long I stayed like that. I might have stayed a lot longer still. The problem was I was getting progressively weaker. It was harder to see, and my pulse wasn't as strong as it should have been. My bullet wound ached. My thigh burned. My wrists were...well, it was bad.

After I pushed him away a second time, Klaus had finally had enough and got his way. He yelled a few rude things and then I had to put her down. I laid her gently on the ground and was then snatched up. He cursed the entire time he made me feed from his wrist.

The bullet was expelled. My wrists healed. My thigh closed. The claw wounds on my back knitted back together. I could feel my whole body respond to the fresh, sweet magic of Klaus' blood.

Then he went silent, something I knew from experience was a bad sign. I heard screaming upstairs. The rest of the werewolves were being hunted down and picked off. Klaus had a lot of rage pent up and no one to unleash it on. I'd taken that from him.

His cheek was pressed into the crown of my head. He held me tight, and despite everything that had just happened, smelling his familiar scent comforted me.

Then..."Her entire family dies," he growled into my hair.

That hit me like a shot in the heart. "They already did," I said, drawing away from his chest to look at him. My cheeks were red and my eyes were swollen from crying, but I looked him dead in the eye and added, "You killed them a while ago. That's why she came after us. She wanted to hurt you through me before she finally got her revenge."

I thought I'd sound more upset. I just kept crying, but my voice was as steady as could be.

Klaus paused, gaze slanting sharply to Kate's body. Not a hint of recognition dawned.

 _That is sadder than anything else_ , I thought then. Kate and her family were dead, and Klaus didn't even recall they existed.

My world of right and wrong was totally gone now. It was just endless gray.

I wiped at my cheeks with a sniff. "I want to go home now."

He searched my face. "Caroline..."

"Can we bury her? All of them? I don't think we should just leave like this. What if animals—" I couldn't finish that sentence.

He seemed to reach a decision. "Once everything is taken care of, we'll burn the house."

Like a funeral pyre. They did that in India, right? The Vikings too. It wasn't all that different from cremation. I nodded.

He helped me off of the floor and we started for the stairs. I wanted to look back at Kate, who didn't seem much older than I was when I died. But that wouldn't change or solve anything, would it? We'd made our choices, I reminded myself, lifting my chin. It was better to honor them than to give into...whatever was swirling inside me.

We left.

I didn't look back.

…...

Caroline was silent on the way home. She did not ask how I found her, and I suppose it was superfluous. I had her with me again.

I said nothing, but I was not silent. I was enraged. I was ready to raze a town. I was out for blood.

I held her hand tight.

Once at the house, I ordered the injured to be taken care of. I bit my wrist and carelessly filled a cup with just enough blood to sustain everyone. After that, I didn't give much of a fuck as to what happened to them. I could not tolerate their presence in my immediate vicinity lest some of my anger boiled over. I dismissed them all, giving Artie a meaningful glance. He was to go to Colby in hospital. Whatever he had to do to contain the situation, he had my permission. Compulsion, confession, I didn't care. He was not on my list of priorities.

Artie nodded his understanding and took care of the rest. Where everyone went or what they did, I neither knew nor cared to inquire. They were in the house. That was all I needed to know.

I took Caroline to my bedroom. I could not think of another place to be. A large part of me wanted to recapture the cloaked safety of 'our' couch. That long ago morning was a blip in my existence, and yet I remembered the feeling of holding her keenly. I wanted that morning back. A foolish, futile wish.

I watched her stand in the center of the room, her arms wrapped around herself. I wanted to go to her and smooth my hands over her back. To think of myself as a source of comfort was ludicrous, but was I not that very thing the day we were attacked? Just as Caroline was many things to me, I had become many things to Caroline.

Now, in the moment, I did not know what to be. Caroline was no longer crying. She was simply looking at the balcony, where I told her of my darker desires. Given today's events, I was certain she expected me to lock her up.

I tried to muster the will. Instead I stood in the darkness, the mass of feelings inside me too tangled to unravel.

Because while I longed to smooth my hands over her back, I could not deny how ragged she appeared. Her jacket was soaked. Her dress shredded in places.

Her light was...diminished. Dull.

"I could have let her go," she said after a length. "I didn't have to do anything except injure her a little and then get out of there. That's it. I chose to kill her."

My heart thudded in my chest and I cursed it. Why? Why did she have such power over me? I was already closing my inner doors, shutting up my emotions tight as a drum in preparation of the onslaught. It was coming. A thousand years of experience told me as much. It was clear Caroline regretted her actions. That damnable compassion that had originally drawn my notice would not permit anything else. The terrible thing about a light as addictive and true as hers...was that choices such as these did not leave it unmarked.

As long as she was with me, those choices would always present themselves.

It occurred to me then—that idea I've read about so many times. The notion of letting her go. For perhaps the first time I could see the merit in allowing Caroline to be free of me. She would stay as she was—this imperfect, dogged, demanding, stunning creature. Her light would not be damaged by my violence and unforgiving grasp. She would be as preserved as a lovely artifact under glass, and for once I began to see the appeal in that.

Had I ever been selfless? Even once, in my entire ten centuries of life? If I had I could not recall. As I stared at a fixed point over Caroline's head, jaw clenching, I wondered if such a thing could exist in me; a desire to put someone else's needs before my own.

I have seen it, of course. Many times. On more than one occasion I used it for my own gain. Ah, but see? Once again I prove my own selfishness. It is not something I have ever lost sleep over. In fact, there's quite a lot to be said for putting one's self first. You didn't see anyone else with an empire, did you? Anyone else with a reputation so fierce, whose name was bandied about in whispers?

What would prolonged exposure to something like that do to Caroline's character?

I have never believed that tripe about loving and letting go. I believed in subordination, in the application of one's will until one's opponent was cowed or crushed. Yet now as that terrible, nauseating seed of doubt presented itself to my conscious mind, I began to wonder...I began to understand the draw...

My stomach turned.

No. This was rot. Utter and complete melodramatic bollocks.

I looked away, unable to stand even a glimpse of her golden hair a second longer.

Or was getting her as far from me was the best option?

What had I been thinking, allowing myself this indulgence, pursuing her so relentlessly?

I could keep and twist and mold Caroline to my end, and then what? I'd be left with some pale shadow of what I craved.

Bitter gall burned my tongue.

"Perhaps it is time to cut our time together short." The thought slipped through with all the slyness of a housebreaker. My eyes widened. What was I saying? Was I a fool? No, I should have told her that we were not going to go through this again. I should have lied through my teeth. I had done it so many times before. It should have been easy.

But I was gripped by something I didn't understand and liked even less. _That boy_. That willful, pitifully weak boy that I once was. He was cowering in a corner with his hands over his heads, trying to block it all out. He lashed out before it got too bad. He protected himself before there was ever a need.

My arms were leaden at my sides. I could not look away from the floor.

I was disgusting.

I was paralyzed.

"What did you say?" Caroline's voice was unsure. Tremulous.

My expression shuttered. I pasted a smile on my lips. "Come now, Caroline, surely your unparalleled sense of hearing has not chosen to fail you." _Stop. Stop now_ , I commanded myself.

I was crumbling inside.

She frowned, her delicate brows creating a single line. "You're...breaking up with me?" She sounded as if she could not quite grasp the meaning of the concept.

No. Yes. I didn't know. I didn't understand what was happening to me, and yet I was helpless to prevent the fall. My lips curled further into their customary smirk. "I'm afraid this has grown a bit complicated, sweetheart." I shrugged one shoulder. "It's time for you to leave."

_This is done. It's done. I've done it._

Every muscle in Caroline had gone still. She stared at me, her heartbeat so steady as to suggest she did not understand what I meant. "You're breaking up with me," she said again, her voice strangely flat.

As if the sudden illogic of it dumbfounded her.

It should.

I turned cold eyes on her, chin tilted. "Is that a probl—"

– she slapped me.

My head snapped to the side. Rage bolted through me instantly. I seized her by the shoulders and picked her up, her feet dangling in the air when I bared my fangs at her.

She hissed back, black lines marking her face with fury. She was a black and gold thing of beauty, a tempest that I wanted to laud and subdue.

Caroline kicked me in the thigh.

I roared again, the pain enough to distract me when she knocked my arms to the side and dropped back to the floor. " _Is that a problem?_ " she shouted up into my face. "Are you out of your freakin' _mind_?"

I was brought up short by the sheer force of her temper. My teeth did not retract. I barely moved. My amazement at her unmitigated gall was absolute.

"Do you seriously think that you can just walk into my life, blackmail me into dating you, watch me—us—go through emotional gauntlet after emotional gauntlet, and then just drop me? Well, let me tell you something, mister, you are STUCK with me now. So what's your damage?" Her chin jutted up. "Are you scared? Reacting badly to me getting kidnapped? What?"

"Be careful how you speak to me, Caroline. You are not that beautiful." A bitter lie.

"Buddy, I am more than beautiful, I'm a freakin' queen. The consort, remember? Consorts don't take bullshit, and that's exactly what this is. So in answer to your question: Yes, that is a problem. That is a very big problem."

We were almost nose to nose. Her voice dropped in volume from a shout to a quiet warning. "I've told you before, Klaus. Don't expect to make unilateral decisions without me reacting to it."

My upper lip curled. "Is that a fact?" I leaned down. We were sharing each other's breath now. "I suppose it's time to bring you down from that cloud you occupy, Caroline. You aren't strong enough to be my queen."

She didn't so much as flinch. "I'm beginning to wonder if you're strong enough to be my king."

A heartbeat of incredulity.

If she had daggered me, she could not have struck more true. My fingers itched to claw at her. How dare this baby vampire have the temerity to challenge me? Me, _Klaus Mikealson_ , the most powerful creature on the planet?

Blood would flow.

My hand shot to her hair, intending to bend her to my will, when she twisted and dodged, flashing to the other side of the room. With a flick of her wrist she sent the chair next to her hurling into the wall centimeters from my head. It splintered like matchsticks.

"How does that feel, Klaus? Me insulting your strength? Me throwing things around?" She tossed the second one.

This I caught and shattered over my knee. I flung the pieces to the side without breaking my stare. If she wanted a fight, she'd get one. I started forward, pain pulsing through my injured leg.

She jabbed a finger in my direction. "I am not letting you throw me away!" Tears glittered in her bloodred eyes. "I picked you, dammit!"

Picked me?

My haze dissipated slightly.

"I killed that girl today because I picked you! I could have let her go. I could have let her go. You deserved everything she could do to you for revenge and _I killed her_. Why would I do that Klaus? Huh? Tell me that." She glared, chest rising and falling, those beautiful tears turning her otherworldy eyes brilliant.

_Because you love me._

I could not describe the feeling that took hold of me then. Part fear, part joy, part something I could never begin to name, burst into exist inside without warning. It rendered me immobile, powerless to do anything but feel.

Caroline loved me. She'd picked me.

"I'll destroy you," I said. The words were torn from me like small, dirty bits of flesh, and laid before her altar. "Whatever you are to me, it cannot survive the love I hold for you."

She blinked. The blood leeched from her face, slowly leaving it clear. The black receded. Her fangs disappeared. "Yes it can," she said. No more accusation. No more anger. Simply...sincerity.

I laughed humorlessly. "You're delusional."

Here I was, standing before her with my fangs bared and my eyes changed, and she still held my gaze.

"Or maybe I just know myself. I'm going to change, Klaus. That's something we can't prevent." She stepped forward. "But I'm not going to buckle. I'm not going to collapse. I'm going to fight for who I am. I've gone through too much to lose it at the first sign of trouble."

To my abject horror, her chin trembled. "So don't throw me away, okay? Just give me a chance—"

_Never. Never never never._

I was on her before the last syllable died on her lips, taking her head in my hands and mashing my lips to hers in the most inelegant kiss of my existence. It was need. It was love. It was desperation and sorrow and too many emotions to quantify or separate. I kissed her as though I expected to die then and there.

She kissed me back. She always kissed me back, just as desperate and yearning, this girl that had picked me. I made a noise in the back of my throat, a groan and a whimper. "Caroline."

"Why?" she demanded between kisses. "Why?"

Her plaintive plea for understanding tore at me. "I'm sorry." I did not give a fuck if the words exposed my weakness. I was already raw and open before this girl. No, no longer a girl. A _woman_.

"It will never happen again," I assured her. "And anyone who suggests that it might will die a slow, agonizing death." It wouldn't and they would.

I was Klaus Mikaelson. I was not benevolent. I was not selfless. I was the bloody king of the supernatural world. I was the lover of Caroline, my queen, a woman that accepted the monster I was and made me wish I were a god.

She was Persephone. The sun.

I was Hades. The darkness.

We were perfect.

I picked her up and took her to the bathroom. It was large, larger than any other in the house, and it was outfitted with a shower made for five. Without bothering to undress I strode through the open glass door and set her in it. One wave of my hand activated the shower, which rushed down over us at the perfect preset temperature from all three nozzles.

I began to peel her clothes from her body, blood and a light smell of soot washing from us. We were in a similar situation but hours ago. I was pleased but skeptical of her declaration of love, sated by our sex. Burgeoning with the need to rip a few heads off.

Now...I was amazed by how different a life could become in a few hours. I had gone through centuries watching the world around me change and yet remain the same. I was a rock in a river, moving but essentially unaffected by time.

I threw her dress to he side and ran my hands up Caroline's ribcage, grazing the fading gunshot wound. I was made different by her, in ways that could not be articulated. She in turn was made different by me. For better—and I would ensure that it was better—we would grow together from then on.

She pulled my shirt from me and went to work on my jeans while I helped her from her bra. I was lost in my fascination of her. Sex was of course on my mind, but it was negligible compared to my desire to _see_ her. To _touch_ her. To reassure myself that she lived and I had not lost her, either by action or by word.

In moments we were naked. Bared. This time I smoothed her wet hair back and kissed her without passion. I was seeking comfort as much as I was comforting.

I did not believe all the drops on her face were produced by the shower.

She gave a little moan and hugged me tight, her arms going around my waist and linking together. She let out a trembling breath. "I don't know what that was about," she said under the steady fall of water, "but if you ever scare me like that again—"

I buried my face in her neck, shame and denial holding me silent.

She kissed my chest.

She kissed my neck.

I could barely meet her gaze.

She kissed me.

She forgave me.

I pressed my forehead to hers and closed my eyes. I knew I needed her much more than she would ever need me. I had always known that. It was the first time I felt glad for that. Caroline Forbes did need me—perhaps more than I gave her credit for—but what mattered was that she _wanted_ me. Until tonight I did not know what that could mean to me. She was willing to be my opposite. My better half.

Half.

I smiled before I knew I was happy, but there it was, peeking out through the darkness. I opened my eyes only to find that she was looking back, a small smile gracing her lips as well. I was overcome with a sense of well-being I could not recall ever having felt before. As though a small piece that was minutely maladjusted slid into its proper position.

It was...redefining.

I leaned down to capture her lips—and the intercom system buzzed.

I would have growled, but Caroline's displeased huff interrupted, which turned my growl into a chuckle. I have always enjoyed vexing Caroline, and the sight of her adorable pout lifted my mood considerably.

"Stay here," I said, before I went to answer the call, naked.

Caroline, of course, watched me walk away, a hum of appreciation cutting through the air.

Unfortunately the news awaiting me was not good. Artie had called. Colby's condition was considerably worse than predicted. Artie had managed to compel his way through the red tape, but relayed a request for assistance.

From Caroline.

She stared at me with wide eyes from the shower, pale. "What happened to Colby?"

My lips tightened. I did not want to be the one that told her this, but it had to be said. "We were tracked through Colby's mobile. They used it to follow yours. It seems Colby did not give it up without a fight."

If possible, her face paled further. "He fought...with a werewolf?"

I nodded grimly.

"Oh god." She ran a shaking hand over her forehead. "Where is he?"

"In hospital." I was already gathering towels for us. "Hurry; Artie says he needs us."

I should not have been surprised at how fast she moved. In minutes she was throwing her hair into a wet bun on the top of her head and clad in jeans, a t-shirt, her pullover, and sneakers. Then, when that was done, she ran about throwing things in a duffel for Colby.

By the time we were back in the car—only the two of us, no hybrids—she had books, clothes, shoes, underwear, and a canister of BandAids.

I did not dare point out to her that those were unlikely to be useful. She was too busy gnawing her fingernails to listen anyway.

When we arrived at hospital, it did not take long to locate Artie. Unfortunately we also found someone else.

Artie stood in front of Colby's room, a battered and bloody sentinel. He had his arms crossed, tattoos stark on his skin, glaring at a pair of older humans.

Who glared back.

"I said you can go," he half-snarled.

"You don't have any right to say what goes on here or not, sinner," the woman snapped back.

"Lady, if you don't back up within three seconds, I'm going to take that Bible out of your hands and—"

"What the hell is going on here?" Caroline interrupted, coming to a stop before the little group.

I watched from the side, deciding that Caroline taking point was the best course of action. I was in no mood to deal with a set of humans with about much sense as a flea.

Singular.

"Who are you?" the older man demanded.

She didn't answer, looking to Artie.

"They're his parents," he explained through gritted teeth. "They were on the next of kin list."

She glanced at them, but again, addressed Artie. "Why aren't you letting them in?"

"Because these assholes haven't given a fuck about him for years and suddenly they think they have the right to take care of him." His face twisted. "When I got here they were reading him Bible verses about how this is God's punishment for his evil ways."

Caroline stiffened. "And you didn't compel them because...?"

"Ever tried to do it to two people at once in a hospital full of 'em, princess? It's really freakin' hard."

I had a better picture in those few sentences than an entire biography could have provided. So. These people were Colby's parents, here to capitalize on their son's lowest moment. Given what Caroline told of them, I half expected cross-wearing sign wavers. Instead they appeared to be relatively normal.

 _Then again_ , I thought with a cold smile, _so do we._

"And frankly," Artie added suddenly, "I thought you'd like to have the pleasure."

"If you don't get out of the way right now, I'm going to call security to have you hauled out," the man threatened.

Caroline held up a hand. "Stop. Just stop." She pointed a finger. "You don't get to raise your voice to Artie like that. In fact, you don't get to talk at all. Colby is an adult. He is not your legal responsibility. He _was_ your emotional responsibility, but we all know you dropped the ball and sissy kicked it to the side, don't we?"

She handed the bag to Artie. "Take this inside for me, please. This shouldn't take more than a minute." That done, she faced the parents with her arms crossed. "Let me make something clear to the both of you: You. Are. Failures. Not only are you some of the suckiest parents I've ever met—and I've met a few—but you give organized religion a bad name. You haven't got a clue what Heaven or God or whatever wants any more than the rest of us, and pretending that you do is a sick joke nobody laughs at."

"Call security, Ben," the woman said, ignoring Caroline completely.

Ben tried to pull out his phone. Caroline seized his arm in a move too fast to be tracked, clamping painfully tight on his arm.

He pulled. To no avail, of course. That did not keep him from trying.

The woman tried to intervene. "How dare you touch my husband!"

Caroline put a hand on her chest and pushed. It was more of a tap, really, but the force of it startled the woman to silence.

In the ensuing pause Caroline glared right into Ben's eyes. "You had one job, to love and support your son even if you didn't agree with how he lived his life. You screwed that up. You don't get to be his family anymore. That's my title now." She pointed a thumb at herself. "Understand?"

"Yes," Ben replied, eyes dull.

"What?" his wife nearly screeched, flying back into the fray.

Caroline turned on her. Ben stood by silently while Caroline captured the woman's shoulders in her hands. "Shut. Up."

The woman closed her mouth.

"Unless you plan on leaving everything you own to Colby, or try to mend your relationship with him, you will not come near him. You will not contact him. You _will_ reread your Bible a hundred times. Maybe then you'll know it so well you'll figure out that love doesn't mean squashing the person your son essentially is. It's encouraging him to be all of that and more." She released her. "Now leave."

Woodenly, they obeyed. She watched them go until they disappeared from sight, then noticed me for what seemed like the first time. "What?"

"You," I said plainly, "are more splendid than I could have dared dream."

She almost smiled at me, but a thought interrupted. "Damn! I should have said they had to pay for his care!" She cursed again.

I petted her cheek. "Don't worry about that. I think you'll find we're more than capable of covering the cost ourselves."

She eyed me. I did not look away.

"You don't like him."

I shrugged. "He is important to you. And perhaps I feel a bit of kinship in the wake of those odious people." I narrowed my eyes. "I'm certain the feeling will fade."

She quirked a brow, then grew serious when she glanced at the door. She chewed on her lip. "What if he—"

"Caroline," I interrupted. "Now is not the time for doubts. Go in there."

She grimaced but nodded. She drew in a deep breath and reached for the handle, pushing the door open with a squeak.

Colby was in bad shape. Wires and tubes were everywhere. Caroline stepped forward, her hand flying up to cover her mouth, tears pooling. Even I could not ignore the stab of empathy I experienced, looking at him. His face had been clawed. Fresh bandages dressed the wound, but we could smell the sickness in him.

I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, loathe to interrupt as she approached the bed. "Colby?" she called out hesitantly.

He stirred. The morphine made him sluggish, but his eyes opened. "Terra?"

Her smile was tremulous. "Hi. Oh, thank god, I was worried. I mean, I'm still worried. I can't believe that you've been here all day and I didn't know..." A sob choked her voice. She grabbed Colby's hand awkwardly and squeezed.

"What...happened..."

She hesitated. "Colby...I don't know how to tell you..."

"He wasn't normal. That guy. Something was wrong."

"Yeah." I could see Caroline wrestling with herself. "There's something I've been hiding from you. At first it was to keep you safe. Then it was because I didn't know how you'd take it if I said anything." She inhaled sharply. "It's going to sound crazy."

"It's been...that kind...of day."

She laughed a little in surprise. "Yeah, I guess it has." She leaned in, licking her lips nervously. "Colby, when I was seventeen I was in the hospital. A girl came to see me. She was in a fight with some of my friends. She held a pillow over my face...and I died."

My fingers dug into my arms.

"But I woke up. When I did, I was a vampire." She rushed on. "It turns out our town has all kinds of supernatural things running around in it. Vampires, witches, werewolves, and hybrids. We had everything. I had to get away, so I jumped on a train and ended up with you. A werewolf attacked you because he wanted to hurt me, and then Klaus would end up hurt in the end. Klaus is kind of a big deal in our world."

She waited.

Silence.

He simply stared at her.

"I can make it better for you. I can give you some of my blood. It won't hurt and you won't change. You'll just get better. And if you want, if you can't handle all of this, I can even erase your memory. Only if you want, though!"

Still silence.

Then Colby's gaze turned to Artie. "And you?"

Artie was nervous for the first time in my memory. "Hybrid. Kind of a crossbreed between vampires and werewolves." He ran a hand over his stomach, clearly not sure where to look.

Colby absorbed that. When he looked at Caroline with that penetrating expression, I braced myself for her sake. "I just have one question," he said seriously.

Caroline nodded jerkily. "Anything."

"If you're a vampire, Artie's a hybrid, and Klaus is...whatever he is..."

"Yes?"

"Is Dean Winchester real?"

A beat.

Caroline burst out laughing. "No, you idiot, he's not real. That's just a show."

"Oh." Colby was clearly disappointed. "Damn."

Artie's head came up. "Hey!" he protested, offended.

"Have you seen...that man's ass?" was the offhand reply.

Obviously relieved, Caroline used her other hand to envelop his. "So what do you say? Do you want to blow this popsicle stand?"

"God yes," he replied fervently. "You have no idea how much the food here sucks..."

…...

Later, our bodies temporarily sated and the furniture in a much worse state than when we arrived, I cradled Caroline to me. She played with my fingers, her head on my chest. I loved the spread of her sex-mussed hair. It was a badge of honor for me. Caroline was obviously well loved. And that was only the first of many, many times tonight.

"We're going to need furniture again," I told her.

She chuckled. "You sound like you're proud of that."

"Well, I'm certain their opinion of my sexual prowess will be significantly elevated."

" _Your_ sexual prowess? They're just going to assume you can't get enough of me."

They would be right, I acknowledged privately.

"I don't think we should get any more," she said suddenly.

I lifted my chin from her crown and angled to look her in the face. "Oh?"

"I think we should get out of here for a while." _Too much has happened_ , she didn't say...but I knew. She bit her lip. "Going to college out of state would be interesting." A light brown brow arched. "Any suggestions?"

I was silent for a moment, the future wide open before me. "I take this to mean that the ginger roommate will be accompanying us."

She gave me a Look. I supposed I deserved that.

I rested my head on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. When the idea came, it was so delicious, so perfect, that I had to smile. "Caroline."

"Hmm?"

"What do you think of New Orleans?"

**The End...Almost...**

**Epilogue**

_A year later...?_

"You're wrong," Caroline said patiently, never looking up from her desk.

As I am just as capable of counting as the next man—or vampire, or hybrid, or immortal—this statement vexed me somewhat. "Darling, today is your birthday. You are another year older."

"I know."

"Then why do you persist in telling me I'm wrong?"

"Because you are."

I sat in the rolling chair carefully, struggling to breathe in a normal fashion and not give into the urge to growl at her. Today was our anniversary. I had promised myself that it would be as romantic and nauseatingly wonderful as I could manage. For weeks I planned this. I even enlisted the help of that pesky ginger roommate, Colby. The git was still human, but since he was made aware of the supernatural world I was honor bound to protect him. The least he could do was aid me upon demand.

Even Artie contributed. Roses. A trip to Paris. A bloody balcony view of the bloody Eiffel Tower and a bloody, BLOODY engagement ring burning a hole in my jacket pocket, _damn her._

Roaring, shouting, and the destruction of furniture did not fall into my plans.

But she was making it extremely difficult. "In what way, my love, am I mistaken?" As if such a thing were possible.

She stopped working, glancing at me through her thick bangs. Some of my...pique must have shown through. She sat back in her chair and regarded me with one of those patient but amused looks only she could get away with. "Two ways, actually." She held up a finger. "One: birthdays should not coincide with any other special occasions. Do you know how sad it is that some people have to share the limelight with Christmas or Easter? Anniversaries are like that." She held up a second finger. "Two: We started courting on my birthday. That doesn't mean that's the day I want to celebrate."

Her sentence struck me with the unerring accuracy of a bullet. My jaw tightened. "I see."

She sighed. "No you don't, or you wouldn't be getting hurt." She got up and proceeded to push my hands out of my lap, setting herself down with an arm draped over my shoulder for balance. I had to hold her despite my dislike of the conversation; there was no conscious choice.

"Do you really look back and say, 'hey, that's our special day'? Things may have gotten rolling on my birthday, Klaus, but to be honest, it's not the one that sticks out in my mind as the beginning of our relationship."

I narrowed my eyes at her, not certain where she was taking this conversation.

"It was the day you took me to the museum."

I canted my head but said nothing. There were moments such as these when it was better let Caroline say exactly what was on her mind.

"The tea shop in the rose garden was romantic. Really romantic. The first time I kissed you was also nice."

I quirked a brow, but she ignored me to say, "But to me, the real start, the real turning point, was after our first fight. You were a total asshole about the journal and the fact that Colby was a guy. Then you took me to the museum and you calmed me. You were my rock. We talked, and for the first time, I felt us connect. When I look back, that's the moment my mind keeps pulling up as the point where everything changed."

I recalled that moment. I could picture her so clearly as she walked through the arches like Persephone stepping foot into the Underworld. The Queen of the Shades. Then when we were talking on the bench, surrounded by history I wanted to share with her, and she said I scared the hell out of her. It was a raw, unadulterated blip in time.

Muscle by muscle, I relaxed beneath her. "This is going to require some replanning on my part,"I said at length.

She smirked. "I know. Good thing you like a challenge." Then she grew serious again. "Klaus."

"Hmm?"

"About that ring..."

I paused in the middle of leaning in for a kiss. How did she know about that?

Then again, why was I surprised?

She was biting her lip. "Nobody will come to a wedding. You know that. And we can't risk a party." She shrugged, trying valiantly to hide how much that bothered her. "We're also, you know, vampires. What's a ring or a piece of paper-"

"Everything," I interjected. "I do not give a damn if time rots the paper or wear tarnishes the metal, those are symbols I've never offered anyone but you." I did not bother to explain what that meant. Caroline knew. She always knew.

"It would be just us. You, me, a priest, a rabbi, a minister, or a justice of the peace."

"We shall have all of them," I declared. "Every faith, every manner of devotion, and in every known language if you're up for it."

Joy lit in her eyes, but she subdued it just enough to ask, "Don't you think I should say yes to the proposal first? The one you haven't made?"

I exhaled, reaching up to stroke her cheek. I looked up into her eyes, so big and luminous, drawing me in. "Caroline."

It was all I said. All I could say.

Her smile broke through, watery but happy. "Yes," was all she replied, and no more.

It was everything.

**THE END**

* * *

**Dear Readers,**

**This is the end of the story—the hardest and best part of any writing experience. I poured more of my soul into Inertia Overcome than I thought possible at the beginning. Part of me is happy that I was able to complete it. I'm sure more than one person thought I'd abandon it. We've all had that happen to us. I'm therefore glad that a story that was so involving for me as a writer came to a conclusion. I only hope that I did the Klaroline ship justice.**

**Part of me, though, will miss the magic. I can't say this is my last Klaroline fic, but I also don't think I'll do a sequel to Inertia Overcome. It's one of those stories that's fine just the way it is. I also know jack all about the TO universe and I couldn't fake it.**

**To all my readers, thank you for the reviews. Thank you for recommending this story to your shipper friends. Thank you for the support. Just...you know...thank you.**

**Sincerely,**

**Ava**

**P.S. I won't lie, I cried during the first four paragraphs. And then nearly died at that "I doubt you're strong enough to be my king" comment. Was that an "OH SHIT!" moment or what?!**


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